


Growing Up

by Ihamouden_78_7



Series: Yakuza Higuchi AU story plot: Growing Up [1]
Category: bungou stray dogs
Genre: Angst, Comfort/Angst, Multi, Trauma, Violence, mentioning of Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, mentioning of torture, yakuza Higuchi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-23
Updated: 2020-11-13
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:14:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 19
Words: 72,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26066314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ihamouden_78_7/pseuds/Ihamouden_78_7
Summary: The secret of Higuchi Ichiyō's ability is one that effects her greatly.Unknown to the Port Mafia, their most stubborn member has a secret that even she doesn't know. Something that her youngest sister knows and has been told to keep a secret. As such, she keeps working hard for her baby sister to protect her from the dangers of Yokohama and their dangerous Gifted.But what happens when all her hard work as Higuchi Ichiyō is thrown out the window when she is being thrown back in the cold cell where she was thrown into?
Relationships: Higuchi Ichiyo & Higuchi’s little sister, Higuchi Ichiyo & OC
Series: Yakuza Higuchi AU story plot: Growing Up [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1918924
Comments: 22
Kudos: 36





	1. I Met Two Strange People

**Author's Note:**

> (Everything in this is made up by me for this characters background and ability. If the author uses the same concept in any shape or form then that is not something to get angry about.)  
> (Characters act a little OOC for the sake of development)  
> (Everything except the plot is in possession of the original author of Bungou Stray Dogs)

“.....it’s my job…..”

Higuchi remained silent as she looked at the nearby restaurant where the Black Lizards are having dinner. She thought of joining them but after what happened today she rather not, not enjoying the obvious glares she will get from them. Her brown eyes glanced away from them as she watched how the birds flew past her.

Her name is Higuchi Ichiyo, a member of the Port Mafia. The Mafia has dozens of enterprises under their control. It also exceeds politics and as well as economics and its influence is found in many sections of Yokohama City. Those who defy them will only burn and not survive.

The Port Mafia divides its power largely between its boss and his five executives, who answer solely to him and lead their own factions within the mafia. Originally, four executive positions were filled. As of now, only two surviving executive positions are known, but three occupied. Mori keeps Osamu Dazai's executive position reserved solely for him - somehow expecting him to return.

Kōyō Ozaki leads a major interrogation unit skilled in torture. Another major faction of the Port Mafia is its guerilla attack force, led by Ryunosuke Akutagawa, having succeeded his former mentor, Osamu Dazai. Working alongside him is Higuchi, who largely acts as his right hand.

Beneath them is the assassination group Black Lizard, led by Ryūrō Hirotsu, with Gin Akutagawa and Michizō Tachihara as his secondary commanders.

The Port Mafia also has an intelligence unit, largely maintained by Ango Sakaguchi in the past.

A large number of Mafiosi are low-ranked, such as Sakunosuke Oda. Such ranks deal with many lowly and menial tasks such as managing security for paying stores and settling disputes between paid allies and their interpersonal conflicts or even being used as expendable assets as Mori stated.

Anyone might think who hears this might think that she is just important. That’s a lie.

She is nothing.

In comparison to any of what was just listed she had none of those things. The only thing she was capable of angering her subordinates. Even her boss doesn’t sees her as an asset, only a mere rock next to a meteor. She was nothing but useless.

It was something she had come to notice more when it came to the person she works for; Akutagawa Ryuunosuke.

Calling him amazing would be insulting. He is godlike. To have such a useful ability, such calm demeanor around the sight of bodies even the mere thought of having a compliment from him is close to zero. She won’t gain it. She won’t even gain his gaze, she only gets a slap or a scolding from him. It wouldn’t surprise her if she got even a spanking from him.

No...he is not like them. He is different compared to them.

Wait….who is them?

That was a question she always had in her mind. Regardless or it was in a bathroom or in the middle of a mission, the sight of people doing horrible things to her always haunted her mind. As if, she had no reason to believe that she belonged anywhere else.

It might have actually been true. She is worth nothing to the Port Mafia.

No! She is worth something! That’s correct, without her Akutagawa would never have had her teas or medicine. Also without her he would have never knew a way to get on the Moby Dick—!

A loud thud made her head snap next to her.

A man sat down rather hard next to her, making her jump in her skin. He has light orange hair, reminding her of the illusionist from the Armed Detective Agency. Right next to her is another man, a bit younger around nineteen years old she bets with long black hair in a tiny ponytail, a beauty mark just above his eyebrow. What caught her attention the most is their matching outfits.

Both wears vests, white undershirt and long black trousers. Are they...an item?

“You should really stick with your landing, Kawabata…”

“Shut up, Mishima! If you were actually smart then maybe I wouldn’t have the coordinates mixed up.”

The two men groaned to each other, both glaring to each other.

“Also...what were you peeping at that girl for?! Do you know how embarrassed I was seeing her underwear?!!”

“Calm down. If you are going to continue like that then you will never get a wife.”

Kawabata glared at Mishima. His green eyes looking something akin to that of a beast. “My love life is none of your business! And I bet when I’m not looking that you would fluff either of us?!”

Mishima blinks before giving a taunting smile. “Fluff? Yasunari Kawabata, second head of the Yasunari clan, are you referring s•x as fluff?”

Kawabata flushed a deep crimson. “Y,yeah, so what?”

Mishima turned around laughing. Higuchi leaned away from him.

“What are you laughing at?!”

“Not~thing~!”

A click of the gun made them both turn around to see Higuchi. Her hair up in a bun, bulletproof glasses and gun aimed straight at them. “Don’t move a muscle.”

Mishima tilted his head behind him to the woman. His brown eyes blinked at the woman before he gave a kind smile.

“You honestly look very cute with that gun, but unfortunately we both know a gun is useless against me.”

“A sexual assaulter and a pervert, it is worth a bullet through the head.”

“Are you even listening?”

Higuchi pulled the trigger—

—but for some reason she only got a bullet through the bench.

What?!

“Honestly. You are so soft, Natsuko-sama.”

She look saw black as she fell backwards.

|•|_/¥\\_|•|  
  


The ocean..? 

Higuchi looked around to see that she was no longer in the same place. Her gun now gone instead having a bullet stuck in between her flesh and bones. Looking back at her opponents, she noticed both are holding onto weapons as well; a swish knife and a bat. 

“I think you have already noticed that we are ability users...haven’t you, Miss mafioso?” 

Higuchi remained silent as the two people aimed their weapons at her, both ready to kill. A kill that she can’t allow. 

She watched them closely, how both didn’t take a step at her. 

“I have. One of you is a teleporter, correct?” 

The mafioso tilted her head to Kawabata. “And that teleporter is you, right?” 

Kawabata adjusted the bat in his hands. “That’s correct.” 

_ Damn it.  _ Higuchi cursed in her mind. Her gun is now in the hands of her opponent and both are ability users. She is going to die pretty soon from this horrible predicament. 

_ Stay calm, Higuchi. There is only one thing I must do. _ She thought as she glared at them.  _ I need to make them talk. A chat will distract them long enough for me to get information. _

“What do you want with me? Money, infidelity or perhaps information about the Port Mafia?” 

Mishima clicked his tongue. “So rude. We aren’t asking for any of that, especially not the second part. Heavens forbids cousins to even try to match DNA together.” 

__ …...what? 

“What did you just say?” 

The man winced, obviously caught. Kawabata glared at his cousin. “Good job.” 

Higuchi straightens a bit, her glare slowly turning into confusion. 

“.....cousins?” 

  
  
  
  


_ “One day! I will really marry you!! _ ” 

For the second time things went dark. 

  
  



	2. I Remember The Erased Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higuchi sees her aunt again and remembers her past that she asked to be erased.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At the end of the chapter the OC profile will be shown. A little trivia there as well of the real life counterparts. 
> 
> The OC’s come from real people but their current personalities and backstory belongs to me. If Asagiri uses the same type of characteristics or character themselves then I will accept all the personal attacks of people claiming I’m copying once they are reading this.

  
  
  


A strange odor hit Higuchi’s nose. 

Her eyes freaked open to meet two pairs of eyes. Without a second thinking, two iron hard objects squeezing her throat. Trying to find a way to breathe, Higuchi went to grab the two metal objects. 

….why do they feel like flesh? 

Her eyes are burning, feeling something warm going down her face. A strange sound coming from her mouth, salvia dripping down her mouth. 

“I heard you changed your name to Ichiyo. What a cute name. It really suits you,” a voice said, sounding something close to a sweet kind woman. 

“I have missed you a lot. The times the two of us would share a room, how you would accept every request everyone gave you like me. I love you very much, Ichiyo-chan.” 

Higuchi glared at the woman, her eyes glaring at the woman. Her eyes, while blurry, could still make out the blonde hair that is slightly tickling her cheek. “That look of yours is something I have seen day after day ever since I left. I knew it was a good idea to erase your memories!” 

_ What is she talking about?!  _

“Remember? When you were a child? You always didn’t question me until I walked with you outside to the amusement park. You were smiling and jumping like a child. Before Andersen took you away, you were always so quiet. Ready for any orders, ready to attack anyone who hurt me even one of my clients died by your hands…” the woman smiled, her voice sweet yet some toxicity coming along. “....no matter how many times I try to use my ability I can’t seem to forget you.” 

Higuchi continued to claw the flesh from her neck. The progression went fruitless, her nails bleeding further. The woman continued to smile. “I heard you joined the Port Mafia. Such a strange thing from you.” 

Higuchi eventually let go, losing consciousness slowly and so did the hands that are so tightly clamped on her. In her blurry gaze, she sees amber eyes looking at her with a kind of flame that seeks love. 

“......ha…! Ha….!” 

“.....hihihihi…..” 

Her tiny snicker overpowered Higuchi’s breathing. She needs to call Akutagawa-senpai. 

Without him….she can’t reach the boss. This woman is crazy. 

“Akutagawa Ryuunosuke can’t reach you. I already called him saying that you are sick.” 

She froze when the same iron grip grabbed her hand. Even though the room is dark she could still make out the object she has in her hand. Her phone has a history of calls, with Akutagawa being the top one. And the top Akutagawa was an hour ago. 

Higuchi could make out a smile from the dark room. Her amber eyes held a flame so bright as that of the sun. And just like her eyes, her blonde hair shined as well, being the only light in the whole room. 

The mafioso lady trembled but did not back away, her body too tired to even move. 

“Hihihihi….” the woman giggled, a giggle filled with malice. “My, my..! You have gone very soft on me. Don’t worry, auntie Natsuo will be here to give you a lovely smile.” 

Natsuo…..why does that name sound so familiar? 

_ “...Don’t worry, Natsuko-chan! Auntie will be extra gentle with you. After all, I love you very much!”  _

Natsuo’s eyes widen in delight. Her eyes shone in enjoyment. A sign that she enjoys the sight that she sees. 

“I’m so glad that you are remembering me. I’m sorry to say but not all of your memories are there yet, it happened a long time ago, Natsuko-chan.” 

Higuchi didn’t move as she saw Natsuo’s fingers slowly touch her cheek. 

“....don’t worry….even though you left them, I did too, which is why I love you!” 

____

[◥◤]

____

  
  


_ Birds whistles could be heard from the damp and smelly room, but the sight of the feathered creatures is beyond anyone who is sheltered in here.  _

_ Cold metal chains around her ankles and wrists, eyes blindfolded and for the or worse some cloth holding her silent. A white plain yukata being the only warm thing in the room, not that her body felt it. Blue marks of the injections can be seen on her wrists and elbows. Her veins practically popped out of her skin.  _

_ How long has she been like this? The question could be answered ten times since she has been here for only ten years. The only thing that holds her mind from not going insane is the sound of birds ticking on the wood. Such a nice sound.  _

_ She always heard children play. As if they always had been ordered to play in front of her world. Were they told by her mother? Or did they have to do tests to get permission outside? Must be nice to have such a feeling of the sun— _

_ **screech _

_ That was a new sound.  _

_ It wasn't the normal sound of the door being gently shoved to the side or the sound of laughter as they kicked an object to it while screaming monster. No, it is very hard. A push or a shove. What was the difference again? A shove was playful and a push was more painful? Was that it? Or is there no difference whatsoever and whoever teaches her just lied? _

_ Footsteps are heard and whoever is walking only gives a sharp turn. The sound of another person walking in more casters can be heard....also—is that the sound of fire?  _

_ "Anderson, this is a bad idea!" A timid voice whispered. From the way how high pitched it is, must be from a female.  _

_ "We have come this far already. We can't let them continue with this inhuman act!" Anderson shouted, loud and clear compared to the woman.  _

_ "Even so..! You know her Ability! We can't take a step with her in your reach!" The woman now shouted as well.  _

_ She didn't understand what was happening but all she could hear was the cage opening. The chains are tucked before the sound of breaking metal. Twitching a bit, she also felt her wrists being more flexible. What was happening? Did mother order them?  _

_ "Anderson!!" The woman ushered, making the man's work faster. Feeling her body being hoisted up, she let herself be held against the man's shoulder or what she assumed.  _

_ "I'm done Ellen. Lead the way!"  _

_ "Got it!"  _

_ The whole time, she let herself hear the new sounds of huffs and puffs from these people. Anderson and Ellen's voices drowned her mind. What are these sounds? Are they tired? Are they crying? Or are they angry?  _

_ "We are always away from the garden! Another more tree and we are gone!" Another voice announced. Wait, another voice?  _

_ Three humans have come to pick her up? Is she getting a new shelter?  _

_ She, once again, felt her body being lifted up before throwing up.  _

_ "Onee-Sama!" "Anderson!!!"  _

_ Both voices became muffled once she landed in two arms again or she presumed.  _

_ "I'm fine Ellen. No need to worry yourself."  _

_ "Even so you are holding a child! You can't throw her up, jump over the wall and assume things will go fine!"  _

_.....he did what now?  _

_ "Relax Ellen. See! She is perfectly fine," the voice argued as they walked further. Finally feeling them stopping, the strong arms went downwards.  _

_ "Let's first put these blindfolds away. They must be hard to look through," Ellen gently said, she came closer.  _

_ "Be careful. I think she might be sensitive," Anderson curtsied.  _

_ She didn't have time to think before the blindfolds came off. Her mouth is still stuffed but that didn't stop the little gasp from coming.  _

_ Beautiful light lilac hair pulled into a high bun, shining green eyes and fair skin is standing in front of her. Such beautiful colors only blinding her newly adjusted sight. Gloved hands caressed her cheek, warmth emmitatting from the cloth. "Here we go," Ellen smiled, removing the cloth away from her mouth.  _

_ "How is she?" Anderson asked, a man with short blue hair and black eyes. Odd color choice but she is not complaining.  _

_ "Next to a few cracked her teeth are unclean and most of them look like they are ready to rot at any second," Ellen explained, holding her jaw gently.  _

_ Anderson sighed. "As suspected. They aren't cleaning her teeth properly. Those bastards..."  _

_ "It's okay to get angry Anderson. Just don't curse in front of the children," Ellen scolds before turned to the little girl next to her.  _

_ "Natsu, can you give me the bag?"  _

_ "Sure thing Ellen-san," Natsu nodded, walking towards the bag.  _

_ The woman turned back to her, her plum lips forming a smile. "My name is Ellen Hørup and the man behind me is Hans Christian Andersen."  _

_ She blinked when Andersen bent down and placed his gloved hand on her head.  _

_ "We are here to bring you home, Natsuko." _

____

[◥◤]

____

  
  


“......who is she?” 

Higuchi looked at the mirror. Her eyes widened seeing the person there. 

Long blonde hair that ends till the floor, blood red eyes so similar to blood. Her skin has black words on, words that are too strange for her to read. Clothes are wet and dirty. Looking at the bandages around her neck, Higuchi tried to touch her reflection. 

It’s her. 

It’s her! 

A click of the door made her turn around to the woman. Just like her she has dark words written all over her. 

“Ah! Natsuko-chan!” The woman smiled, her amber eyes shining with a flame so bright as a star. Perhaps something so close to one. “You have woken up, I’m so glad!” 

She stepped forward, her once iron grip had become a warm hug. Higuchi’s face planted in between her breasts; the scent of copper, smoke and blood surrounding her. “I was so worried! You had no idea how scared I was when the whole dragon thing happened!” 

Higuchi didn’t respond for a long time. Her eyes staring at the abyss that is the woman’s words on her left exposed breast. 

“.......who are you?” 

The woman smiled kindly to her. Raising her head, Higuchi looked into her eyes. 

“My name is Natsuo Kirino. I’m your dear auntie~!” 

Natsuo Kirino—Ability: Out—patted her head. “And I’m here to fix you.” 

“Fix me?” 

“Yes. My dear Natsuko-chan had used way too many drugs for two years. Adding my Real World curse to the mix and you can’t even move.” 

“.......” 

“You do know what that means, right?” 

Her smile never faltered. It only grew. 

“Natsuko-chan, how was the Mafia? Was it better then the Yakuza?” 

At their height, the yakuza maintained a large presence in the Japanese media and operated internationally. At their peak in the early 1960s, police estimated that the yakuza had a membership of more than 200,000. However, this number has drastically dropped, a decline attributed to changing market opportunities and several legal and social developments in Japan which discourage the growth of yakuza membership. The yakuza still regularly engage in an array of criminal activities, and many Japanese citizens remain fearful of the threat these individuals pose to their safety. However, there remains no strict prohibition on yakuza membership in Japan today, although much legislation has been passed by the Japanese government aimed at increasing liability for criminal activities and impeding revenue.

During the formation of the Yakuza, they adopted the traditional Japanese hierarchical structure of oyabun-kobun where kobun (子分; lit. foster child) owe their allegiance to the oyabun (親分, lit. foster parent). In a much later period, the code of jingi (仁義, justice and duty) was developed where loyalty and respect are a way of life.

The oyabun-kobun relationship is formalized by ceremonial sharing of sake from a single cup. This ritual is not exclusive to the Yakuza—it is also commonly performed in traditional Japanese Shinto weddings, and may have been a part of sworn brotherhood relationships.

During the World War II period in Japan, the more traditional tekiya/bakuto form of organization declined as the entire population was mobilised to participate in the war effort and society came under strict military government. However, after the war, the Yakuza adapted again.

Prospective Yakuza come from all walks of life. The most romantic tales tell how Yakuza accept sons who have been abandoned or exiled by their parents. Many Yakuza start out in junior high school or high school as common street thugs or members of bōsōzoku gangs. Perhaps because of its lower socio-economic status, numerous Yakuza members come from Burakumin and ethnic Korean backgrounds.

Yakuza groups are headed by an oyabun or kumichō (組長, family head) who gives orders to his subordinates, the kobun. In this respect, the organization is a variation of the traditional Japanese senpai-kōhai (senior-junior) model. Members of Yakuza gangs cut their family ties and transfer their loyalty to the gang boss. They refer to each other as family members - fathers and elder and younger brothers. The Yakuza is populated almost entirely by men and the very few women who are acknowledged are the wives of bosses, who are referred to by the title ane-san (姐さん, older sister). When the 3rd Yamaguchi-gumi boss (Kazuo Taoka) died in the early 1980s, his wife (Fumiko) took over as boss of Yamaguchi-gumi, albeit for a short time.

Yakuza have a complex organizational structure. There is an overall boss of the syndicate, the kumicho, and directly beneath him are the saiko komon (senior advisor) and so-honbucho (headquarters chief). The second in the chain of command is the wakagashira, who governs several gangs in a region with the help of a fuku-honbucho who is himself responsible for several gangs. The regional gangs themselves are governed by their local boss, the shatei gashira.

Each member's connection is ranked by the hierarchy of sakazuki (sake sharing). Kumicho are at the top, and control various saikō-komon (最高顧問, senior advisors). The saikō-komon control their own turfs in different areas or cities. They have their own underlings, including other underbosses, advisors, accountants and enforcers.

Those who have received sake from oyabun are part of the immediate family and ranked in terms of elder or younger brothers. However, each kobun, in turn, can offer sakazuki as oyabun to his underling to form an affiliated organisation, which might in turn form lower ranked organizations. In the Yamaguchi-gumi, which controls some 2,500 businesses and 500 Yakuza groups, there are fifth rank subsidiary organizations.

In all of the Japanese yakuza’s out there, only one family stood out the most; The Higuchi Family. 

While the Yakuza is not in the Port Mafia’s radar their legends are still there. 

The Higuchi family, unlike many yakuzas, has a whole family bloodline coming back from 1958. The family itself has influences that rival the Port Mafia, even more if you count the countless cities they have under their hands. The current Oyabun, Higuchi Isamu, had married her mother Harada Osekai. While the two operate on different turfs, they both have custody of her. Even when she ran away. 

Unlike many, Yakuza's gender is meaningless with Higuchi's not even age doesn’t matter. Whoever has the official blood in their veins belongs to the Yakuza regardless. Their most prominent features that make them more heir candidate is their golden blonde hair. 

The Higuchi family’s Saiko-Komon, her uncle, was always against whatever her father had to say. His tyranny even runs till this day. Nobody can really deny him when he was given his ability—the ability to trace anybody from a far distance. While it might not be the greatest ability there were many who feared the weapon he used to kill them with. 

The weapon; his own child, Higuchi Natsuko, later known as Higuchi Ichiyo. 

Their Wakagashira and Shateigashira both had agreed that an escape plan would be planned for her. They failed. Just like her faith in herself. She failed to feel any faith from her ability. Even her Kyodai and Shatei couldn’t come in contact with her as she always managed to be put in her cage. 

The Shingiin advised many to not speak of it, even when many had gone against the sight of their future head put in pain. 

Whoever the Kaikei was might have been the only one who did anything. 

The hierarchical structure had been long gone with only distrust and virtue being the only thing being swept through the organization. 

“......are you going to lock me up?” 

Kirino smiled, one with no flame. “No. I’m here to bring you back to your original senses. The Yakuza needs their head again.” 

“But father doesn’t want me. Nobody wants me...not even Andersen..!” 

“Natsuko-chan, you are saying this to a former Higuchi member. My brother is just as foolish as his wife. Andersen was kind enough to leave you alone so that he couldn’t be traced. My dear niece, please be reassured. In the depths of the night only I’m here to love you!” 

_ “No matter how many times the loophole continues, I still love you!”  _

Tears slowly come from the corners of her eyes. 

“ **You have to come home again, Natsuko~!** ” 

____

[◥◤]

____

_ Crimson eyes remained focused on the target in front of her. Her tiny hands held onto the katana in her hands, electricity crackling through her hands; forcing her to stand up straight. Her mother is behind her, looking down on her as always.  _

_ "Focus, Natsuko! The enemy won't stand there like you do! They attack, they slaughter and won't let you take one breath!" Her mother shouted, her words stabbing through Natsuko's body. "Do you think anyone can just stand there and do absolutely nothing!"  _

_ "No, mother. I'm sorry that I stalled," Natsuko apologized. She raised her katana and slices the target in two. Wooden splinters flying through the air.  _

_ "Not fast enough!" Her mother shouted, hand raised to send her a force field which hit Natsuko.  _

_ Slowly getting to her feet, Natsuko wipes away the blood from her mouth.The lingering feeling of her mother's ability faintly touching her body. Paralyzing herself to make sure she would feel nothing was the best course of action.  _

_ "Natsuko!" Her mother shouted, her eyes almost glowing with anger. "How dare you not attack me! Once somebody attacks you you attack back! You useless, piece of trash!"  _

_ Natsuko poised herself straight. Her eyes looking at her mother before she dashed towards the woman, dust being left behind. The woman only created a force field, her eyes glowing in menace.  _

_ "Don't let your ability be the only thing you have. Your body needs to grow accustomed to the pain. So not, how the hell do you think you can live?!" _

_ Another force field hit her.  _

_ "Without your ability you are practically nothing!"  _

_ Another force field hit her.  _

_ "No matter how much you try-!!" _

_ Another and another.  _

_ "-YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WITHOUT IT!"  _

_ Natsuko could only let the last force field send her to the wall, eyes shut as blood tickled down her chin. The only thing calming her nerves is the nearby Andersen who is holding onto a young baby.  _

_ Her mother only glared at her one last time before turning away, a look of disgust on her face.  _

_ "If only you didn't exist."  _

_ Natsuko only stood up with a sigh; the blood slowly drying up as she retrieved her now broken katana.  _

_ "Wow. You look awful," a voice giggled behind her. She didn't need to look to know who it was.  _

_ "Well, I didn't suspect anything else from a degenerate. You can't even seem to comprehend the position you are in."  _

_ She didn't care. She honestly never cared. For whatever human life this world has to offer meant absolutely nothing to her. Whoever she killed is only a price to pay to feel real warmth from the paralyzed state she always puts herself through.  _

_ Natsuko remembers very early on how her first kill was; her own stepmother. Her new mother. It was as her real mother ordered. The kind woman who always gave her a pat on the head was her first murder.  _

_ A kick in the face interrupted her. Natsuko didn't care as she was getting kicked further until her ribs made weird sounds. She didn't care. _

  
  
  


_______________________________________

  
  
  
  


OC Profile: 

  
  


**-Natsuo Kirino**

Alias: The Graveyard Serial Killer (former) 

Yuriko (stolen identity) 

Yayoi (Stolen identity) 

The Dancing Girl Of Izu district (former)

Detective Mariko (former) 

BIRTHDAY: October 7 

Age: 16 (kicked out of the family) 

26 (The first Dismemberment/ Sawako’s memory erasure) 

30 (Natsuko’s first memory erasure)

35 (First Dragon Festival) 

39 (Present) 

GENDER: Female

HEIGHT: 168.5 cm 

Weight: 60 kg 

Blood Type: O type

Likes: Love, naive girls and innocent boys, detective novels. 

Dislikes: Hate, smart people, people who are logical. 

STATUS: Alive

Ability: Out (Auto) 

Reference: Out

OCCUPATION: Higuchi Family Branch 

(Former) 

AFFILIATION: Higuchi Household (former)

RELATIONSHIPS

FAMILY

-Higuchi Natsuko/Ichiyō (niece)

-Higuchi Natsu (niece) 

-Hans Christian Andersen (family doctor)

-Ariyoshi Sawako (niece)

-Harada Osekai (older sister) 

-Higuchi Isamu (brother in law)

-Fumiko Enchi (step-niece) 

-Yukio Mishima (nephew) 

-Yasunari Kawabata (nephew) 

Appearance: 

  * blonde hair 
  * amber eyes
  * wears bandages everywhere
  * wears old clothes
  * looks ready to commit a homicide. 



Ability: Out. 

Allows her to erase anyone's memories. This ability both affects the user and “victim” as they are given a curse which is called the “Real World” curse, where the victim gets these markings on their body the same as the user. 

These markings all come at a different time and can only be hidden by Kirino’s bodily fluids. The Ability also can only be used when Kirino is getting choked or choking someone.

The real life Natsuo Kirino is a well known female novelist and a leading figure in the recent boom of female writers of Japanese detective fiction. Her real name is  **Mariko Hashioka.**


	3. You Can’t Leave Yet And The AfterMath With It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higuchi stays with her aunt. 
> 
> How will her little sister take this?

_Snap_

“Did you know that I’m just like you?” 

_Snap_

“I was kicked out of the family after my father died. Brother immediately kicked me out, even though my ability was so useful.” 

_Snap_

“All the blood that was spilled could have been mercifully ignored. But no, he is a tyrant through and through. Even his wife can’t help but be cowardly after they receive an ability.” 

Kirino put away the scissors, looking over her work. The messy blonde hair became at a more reasonable length. Higuchi touched it lightly, seeing her reflection in the mirror while the Real World curse is still on. Her aunt’s arms slowly surround her shoulders, her chin resting on her shoulder. “It was a sad time back then. When I had you come over to my place that day by Andersen.” 

Eyes still bloodshot, Higuchi turned to her aunt. “Where is he?”

Kirino’s amber eyes slowly open. “He is here in Japan.” 

Higuchi’s eyes widened. Andersen is here?! He is actually here?! Quickly prying out of her aunt's arms, she grabbed her phone and ran back to the door. 

Kirino watched; a sad smile gracing her face. “Don’t forget the password, Natsuko-chan. Only those with open minds can come **out.”**

Higuchi stopped when feeling a strange feeling down her legs, making her fall. Kirino’s giggles made her turn around. 

“Silly little girl. The curse takes a long time to take control off. Here you go, I will let you take you to my room.” 

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

  
  


The Armed Detective Agency is a group focused on solving crimes which are considered too violent or difficult for the Military Police to handle. Often, these crimes are of a supernatural origin. Nearly all of the detectives within the company have their own special powers known as Abilities.

The Agency has an entrance exam for new employees, to assess if they possess qualities that make them worthy to join the Agency. The test usually consists of their qualities as a detective and their emotions of whether they are willing to risk their lives to save people.

In order to join the agency, the candidate must take a test that evaluates their righteousness, prowess, wisdom, morality and genuineness of spirit. The examiner sets up a situation that the candidate needs to solve. If the testee passes the exam, only then will they become an official member.

Not only that but they are Port Mafia's main enemy, rival, friends from another boss...whatever they are! 

Port Mafia is an underground criminal organization run by Ōgai Mori, based in Yokohama, Japan. They also have an Ability Business Permit allowing them to conduct their activities in a "legal way". They are known as Yokohama's "Wardens of the Night". the Mafia has dozens of enterprises under their control. It also exceeds politics and as well as economics and its influence is found in many sections of Yokohama City. Those who defy them will only burn and not survive.

For all of this, Natsu could only think of who she should support. 

Even though Port Mafia is very much associated with her sister she has no respect for them. She is pretty much aware how those bastards treat her sister, as if she was living trash from the other side of the street. She heard stories of the Black Lizards and from she heard of the member Gin, Akutagawa's younger sister, held her at knife point and knocked her out. Not only that but they allowed her to get injured. 

Natsu remembered how her sister, Ichiyō Higuchi, walked back home with two bullet holes in her shoulder and knee and how she one time got a bruise from her "Akutagawa-senpai." He can go to Hell for all she cares.She also doesn't trust the Armed Detective Agency. She heard story after story about someone choking her sister or hurting her in that kind of way. 

Despite that, when it came to asking which one she would choose to go asking or begging for help it would be no doubt....

"Are you serious? Those detective bastards can't do shit!" 

Natsu rolled her eyes as she walked past her classmates towards the gate. Taking a sharp turn, Natsu quickly began to walk towards the convenient store. Always the same song. Which one would be the best to join? She never once told them about her sister nor does she care to do it. After all, she is already having it rough as it is. 

But in a world with abilities none can't help but beg both when neither wants to accept. Desperation can't even compare to it nor does it matter much. 

Her ability isn't really combat good but it is at least good for something. Like a healer she is only there for supper and nothing much. Not only that but Ichiyō doesn't have an ability so she is not only the breadwinner but also the supportive one! Well, not a breadwinner since Ichiyō gets more pay then she does since she is in the Mafia and stuff, but the times she doesn't work she will be there to provide the money and food as...as....

Well, she won't go too much into it since it will be rather...weird. Especially since she is only 15 years old. With a five year difference many would have thought that she would be stupid but no. Natsu is actually very reliable. Yet at school they call her a useless person. Not at all, her sister yes but she is basically the breadwinner. 

Could she be called a housewife then? The thought of marrying someone and then going as far for that is a bit too much. 

Inserting the key into the lock, Natsu twists it a bit before stepping inside her apartment. "I'm home!" She calls out to no one. She knows her sister will come home late. 

"Now let's see," Natsu hummed to herself as she puts down her bag and takes off her blazer. "What shall I do? Homework? Done that~." 

She usually makes her homework at school because of her sister always coming home with a story. A story about her missions in Port Mafia. They all sound like fairytales no matter how many times she heard it. 

That one time she went after the Man Eating-tiger or how she went and saved Akutagawa from some gun wielding idiots and also about the whole Moby Dick thing. Just what in the world are these names? Moby Dick... 

"More like Sloppy Dick with how they got defeated!" Natsu grinned while putting on her glasses. 

Picking out her favorite shirt where there is some tomato sauce on it, Natsu walked towards the TV and picked up her remote controller. She can just watch TV before making dinner. Her sister will always come towards her and if she doesn't she will give a call. 

"Remember, Natsu, if your sister is in any kind of danger, always tell me, okay?" 

Natsu frowned. Those words again. Why must they always be so damn annoying? 

"Geez, you can't even think for yourself can you, Andersen?" 

A knock on the door made her put the papers down on the table. Walking towards the door she opened it, a woman standing there. 

Brown hair and matching eyes, white coat and pants. 

“Natsu! Have you seen Ichiyou?!” 

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

  
  


"Get your ass over here, Dazai!!" 

"Mou~ but Kunikida-kun~! We have nothing to do today. What can any of us do when we have a free day?" 

"Obviously finishing the paperwork you still need to do!" 

Atsushi smiled sheepishly next to Tanizaki. As always, the Armed Detective Agencies main duo always manages to bring whatever life there was once back into the office. Ever since the Moby Dick incident, the Armed Detective Agency and Port Mafia were in a deep rooted bond and pact to not attack nor hurt each other. Any of such will be turning into an outright war between the two factions and that will cost too many damages for both to keep up with. 

Just as always Kunikida Doppo—ability: The Matchless Poet—is trying to strangle Dazai Osamu—ability: No Longer Human—over the most prominent thing that he does; slacking off. 

Tanizaki luckily has a three week break ever since the Moby Dick incident and most schools are closed but not all of them. Atsushi heard him and it took him awhile to swallow in the guilt even though the ability user told him that it wasn't his fault. 

Akiko Yosano—ability: Thou Shalt Not Die—looked through her magazine in the hopes of finding some new medical equipment to use. Next to her Edogawa Ranpo—Ability (fake): Ultra-Deduction—only licks his ice cream while having a bag of smarties next to him. 

"With the amount of paperwork that you need to fill that would basically be enough to work for an entire year! Did you learn nothing in this agency?!" 

"I did learn something!" Dazai defended himself. "I learned that you need to be very gently once doing a double suicide. So all I need to do is use some pick up lines from the internet!" 

"Is that the only thing in your mind?!" Kunikida shouted. 

"Of course it is! Without that how could I possibly live?" 

From behind the two, both eighteen year olds could only watch as Dazai shouted in surprise as Kunikida strangled him further. 

"So...how was your day, Atsushi-kun?" Jun'ichirō Tanizaki—ability: Light Snow—asked his co- worker. 

"It was good. How was yours, Tanizaki-san?" Nakajima Atsushi—ability: Beast Beneath The Moonlight—asked politely. 

"Good. How much of the paperwork do you have done?" 

"I'm already done. I'm here to give Dazai-san's work to Kunikida-san." 

"....your so easy, Atsushi-kun." 

Kunikida cleared his throat and both turned to him as he adjusted his glasses. "I see both of you are good. I hope that Dazai was as hardworking as you two." 

Atsushi smiled as he handed the papers to the ability user. The idealist nodded, turning away from the two to put them to the other stack. Tanizaki smiled as Kunikida nodded at his work as well. 

"Kunikida-san, someone is here for a request," a voice said. The three turned to the person. 

Kenji Miyazawa—ability: Undefeated By The Rain—walked in with a smile as usual. Right behind him is Kyōka Izumi—ability: Demon Snow—holding her usual cellphone of a constant reminder of her mother. 

"So early? We just got in," Tanizaki questioned as he followed Kenji.

"Onii-sama~!" A girl launched herself to him, making him fall down on the ground. She is Naomi Tanizaki—Jun'ichrō younger sister—and is currently rubbing her hand underneath his shirt at the more....intimate parts. 

"The client today looks so cute~! She seriously looks cute, but don't go and go behind my back to flirt with her. If you do then tonight I won't be as gentle~!" Naomi smiled, rubbing near the nipple. Tanizaki struggled to hold in his moans a bit. 

Atsushi only followed his room mate towards the said client with Dazai right behind him. 

Sitting on the couch a girl with long blonde hair in braided twintails wearing a light pink off shoulder shirt and blue jeans. Her red with white sneakers are tapping either impatiently or nervously on the ground. Her brown eyes looked around the room nervously. Her backpack is next to her which is also pink with a giant hello kitty logo printed on it. 

Atsushi also noticed that she was having her hands curled up in fists. Her teeth are biting her lower lip. 

Tanizaki quickly walked towards the seats and sat in front of her. Atsushi decided to sit next to his co-worker with Kyōka standing beside her. Naomi also stood loyal behind her brother, not touching him at all considering how young the girl looks like. Around Kyōka'a age. 

Tanizaki looked over the papers before she turned towards him. Finally nodding to the papers he turned to the girl. "Okay, so what is troubling you?" 

The girl fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she sees Dazai lean in on Atsushi's head; ignoring the tiger shifters groan in annoyance. 

"Um, my sister has been missing since yesterday. I can't get ahold of her and I don't know where she is," she begins, shying away from the amount of eyes on her. 

"I see. When did you see her?" Tanizaki asked, smiling gently at the girl. However the girl only felt more uncomfortable, her eyes darting to anyone that might be safe for her to look at. 

"On May 2nd. We celebrated her birthday because tomorrow she would be having a very busy day," the girl answered. 

Tanizaki nodded before looking at her hands, giving out tiny cracks, knuckles losing up. "Aren't you sure that she was just busy with work?" 

"That's not like my sister. She always calls me on every shift she has. Constantly every two hours to tell me how I'm doing and telling me where she is. It isn't like her to all of a sudden to not call me," she turned to her bag and picked up her phone from it; an iPhone 7 with a pink cover with a cat on it. Putting in her password, her thumb shifted to her contacts. Handing her phone hesitantly to Tanizaki who gently accepted it. 

As she had said, every two hours she called. The words Onee-chan written in big letters with a heart emoji. The ability user sees how on the third of May only the girl in front of him called and declined or missed. 

"This really looks bad. Did you contact the boss of her work?" Tanizaki asked as he handed over the phone to the client. 

She however only shakes her head. "I rather not. She told me specifically not to contact her work." 

Atsushi raised his eyebrow. "Why not?" 

"I rather not say it," she quickly answered. 

Kyōka frowned at that but for the rest stayed silent as Tanizaki looked back over the papers. "So blonde hair, brown eyes and mostly wears a suit? Can I get her name?" 

"Ichiyō." 

"Okay thank you. Can I get your name?" 

"It's Natsu." 

Tanizaki looked up at that. "Is that you're last name or given name?" 

"Given." 

Dazai stood up straight, putting his hands in his pockets. "Miss Natsu, we need to get your full name in order to investigate this. Anyone here can be blonde and called Ichiyō." 

"....I know that..." Atsushi heard her whisper. 

Tanizaki shakes his head and hands over the papers. 

"Where does she work? If we you can't talk to them then it is best for us to talk to them," Tanizaki smiled gently to the girl. 

Natsu took the papers. Her eyes darted to Kyōka and Dazai before going to Tanizaki and Atsushi, thinking or she should. 

"Are you afraid that the boss will question us who asked to look for your sister?" Atsushi asked, sensing something her nervous feeling. 

"....that's not it. I'm just afraid you won't look for her when I say where she works." 

Naomi glances to her brother. "If your sister works somewhere illegally then I'm afraid we have to arrest her at the same time." 

"....can you call it illegal?" Natsu mumbled with a frown, as if thinking it is actually true. 

"Miss, if you can't provide us anything then we unfortunately can't do much," Dazai pointed out, making Natsu snap out of her train of thoughts. 

"No! I will tell you where she works just...just don't hurt her when you do...!" Natsu mumbled the last part, squeezing her knees together. 

"What could possibly make you think that?" Atsushi questioned, glancing at the papers that Natsu gave Tanizaki. 

Natsu however only remained silent for a short while. 

".......fia...." she whispered. 

"Hmm? We didn't hear that~! Could you say it a bit louder~?" Dazai teases, scooting a bit closer. 

"She works for the Port Mafia!!!" Natsu shouted out loud. 

Silence filled in the air. Dazai's eyes widened, the same as Kyōka and Atsushi. Tanizaki and Naomi however looked like they just saw a corpse; shock and a mixture of confusion. 

Not only that but a crash is heard. Atsushi, being the first one to snap out of his daze, turned to the back to see that Ranpo had fallen off his chair, Kenji held onto a staggering Yosano and then there was Kunikida who let his notebook fall on the ground. 

Turning back to Natsu, he noticed how scared she looked at them as she held onto her bag and held it in front of her. Tanizaki cleared his throat. "What is your name and that of your sister for that matter?" 

"Higuchi Natsu. My sister, Higuchi Ichiyō, has been missing for one day and I can't find her."

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

  
  


“Remember Natsu.Tell them, tell them the problem.” 

"Higuchi Natsu. My sister, Higuchi Ichiyō, has been missing for one day and I can't find her." 

The room fell in another silence. Natsu honestly only felt like her changes of finding her sister is a bare minimum. Especially considering how the group reacted. 

Tanizaki, a slim, average build with orange hair, hazel eyes, and pale skin. His hair is parted in the middle with its spikes sweeping downwards, along with a light grey bobby pin clipped on his left. He wears earrings with the corresponding color of his pin. His attire consists of an oversized, off-white V-necked sweater with a black stripe on the collar, light blue pants, and brown shoes. A red sweater is wrapped around his waist, only looked uncomfortable. 

Dazai, a young man with mildly wavy, short, dark brown hair and narrow dark brown eyes. His bangs frame his face, while some are gathered at the center of his forehead. He is quite tall and slim in terms of physique.For his attire, Dazai wears a long sand-colored trench coat, the belt of which he leaves untied. Under it is a black vest over a striped dress shirt that is light blue in hue. He wears a bolo tie, which is held by a brown ribbon and a turquoise pendant. He also dons beige pants, dark brown shoes, and has bandages wrapped around his entire body; only his face, hands, and feet are left uncovered, merely stepped back next to Atsushi. 

Atsushi, has light gray hair, pale skin, and is of average height with a slim build. He has segmental heterochromia, consisting of purple with yellow along the bottom curve of his pupil. His hair is short and swept forward in loose spikes with a lock left long on the right side of his face. This uneven style is the result of bullying he suffered at the hands of other orphans in the orphanage, and he never fixed it. Additionally, he has a prominent black streak in his hair, white button-up with the sleeves pushed to his elbows, a loose black tie, black pants, black, fingerless gloves, and a suspenders/belt combo with a long stretch of the belt dangling loosely from the buckle, only has a tense look on his face. 

Kyōuka, dons a red Kimono with a pattern of what looks like sprouts, and its yellow Datejime neatly tied. She wears long white socks and sandals; while on her arms, she appears to wear yellow and red wrist pads. Kyōuka carries with herself a tiny rabbit doll, together with her cellphone attached to a necklace, looked like she just saw a ghost. 

And Naomi, She has long black hair in a stylish cut with the bangs swept to the side. She wears a standard seifuku with a long skirt that comes just above her knees, and black socks that come to the middle of her calves. She has a beauty mark underneath her left eye, shivered near her brother. 

As suspected, they are scared. 

"....I see. It makes sense now why you didn't want to give us much information," Atsushi mumbled but anyone can hear him. 

"I'm sorry for the things my sister did but it was part of the job. She has no ill will to any of you ever since the alliance you, the Armed Detective Agency, and Port Mafia. I beg of you, please find my sister!" 

Dazai cleared his throat making Natsu look at him hesitantly. He gives a kind smile but Natsu knows that he is faking it. 

"I suspected that you two would have been related but to think that Akutagawa-kun's assistant had a younger sister..." he looked her up and down. "You do resemble her, especially your hair." 

"We inherited it from our mother," Natsu quickly explained making Kyōuka nod. 

Tanizaki coughed a bit, probably his spit, and turned to the client again. "So, Miss Higuchi—." 

"Natsu is fine with me. We are dealing here with a possible abduction with my sister. For the sake of not making any confusion here," Natsu quickly butted in making Tanizaki sheepishly scratch his cheek. 

"I,I see," he turned to his sister. "Bring in the president. We are dealing here with a possible—." 

"There is no need." 

Natsu shivered, jumping in her skin as she turned around to see—the president?! 

The President, is a tall man who always has a stern expression over his face. He has long silver hair, which ends just above his shoulder. He has metallic blue eyes, which also appear to have wrinkles/slight eye bags under them.He is always seen wearing a green yukata under a black haori (a traditional Japanese thigh-length kimono-style jacket, commonly worn by men) with golden borders with a zigzag pattern, and zori (flat sandals) with white tabi (toe-divided socks), walked in with another man coming in. 

Kunikida Doppo, is a tall and slim young man with dirty blonde hair and deep, green-grey eyes. His bangs are parted to the right and he has rather neat, but spiky hair that ends in a long ponytail. He is wearing his glasses. His attire consists of a beige vest over a black long-sleeved dress shirt, a red ribbon tied into a bow around the collar, beige pants, and plain brown shoes, is right behind him. 

"I already heard everything I need to know," he closed his eyes. "A young woman, who is devoted to the Port Mafia day in and out, has disappeared leaving her sister behind to pick up the pieces and ask us for help. Whoever the abductor is could have possibly made another war between us and the Port Mafia; killing many lives in the process." 

Natsu watched how everyone stood up straight. Should she do it too? Should she actually stand up and bow to a man she doesn't know?

"Young lady," the president announced making her stand up. 

"Yes?!" 

"Do you perhaps have an ability?" 

Natsu remained silent as she watched the president look her straight in the eyes. Should she..? 

"Wait a minute," Atsushi said all of a sudden. "Does Higuchi have an ability?" 

"No she doesn't," Kyōuka answered. "She is the only superior in Port Mafia that doesn't have an ability." 

"Strange, how did she got in when she doesn't have an ability?" Tanizaki questioned, turning to Natsu who only glared at him. 

Of course that is what Natsu hates about this world. But it is only natural that those with an ability would be seen as someone with more importance in the world. Even so, the way how she talked about her subordinates even though they mistreat her sometimes is like her when she was in high school. Always telling how much they hated the work but had to do it for the sake of the boss and their own safety. 

Natsu knows that if she would complain then everyone would critique her and tell her to leave the Port Mafia. It was something that even she told her sister. Why would she even try to get in that ridiculous job and not expect to end up dead? What was she even thinking?! 

"Natsu-san," Atsushi said making her look to him. He smiled to her hesitantly, now that he knows why she is so hesitant he can only smile to her. "Do you have an ability?" 

Natsu looked at him for a good second before turning to her backpack. Picking up her bottle of water, Natsu opened the lid open. Tilting it to the side the water went down on her hands but they never got wet. The liquid floated up and formed a katana. 

"My ability is called Muddy Bay (Nigorie). It allows me to turn any type of liquid into a weapon. It isn't really that strong I can only make a few weapons but it can do some damage," Natsu explained as the sword deformed and hit Tanizaki and Naomi. The two blinked at the wet feeling. Natsu let out a shriek before she glows green and let's the water come back in her bottle. 

"That's a really handy ability. With such a gift you can easily make a whole weapon gallery for the Port Mafia," Dazai hummed as he tucks his hands in his pockets. "But considering how Higuchi is she would rather not have you involved?" 

"What do you mean, Dazai-san?" Atsushi asked, turning to him together with Kyōuka. 

The former executive closed his eyes. "Higuchi is very loyal to Akutagawa but she knows little about him. Everything related to Gin being his little sister or him being under my wing is basic knowledge in the Mafia. She was the only one who didn't know, and that is from observation alone. Adding the fact that she doesn't have a ability makes it more harder for her to be open considering how she can easily be targeted." 

"So she didn't say anything for the sake of protecting Natsu-chan?" Naomi asked, finishing drying her brothers hair. 

"That is the most reasonable thing to do. After all, I don't think that even she wants to be part of the mafia." 

Natsu remained silent. Her eyes glance to the side before she turned to the president. 

"Will you take my request even with this knowledge?"

_All for the sake for my sister?_

  
  



	4. A Girl Who Seeks Her Goal To Live

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu, Higuchi’s younger sister, is worried for her sister and her unknown whereabouts. Asking the Armed Detective Agency for help. 
> 
> Higuchi on the other hand is dealing with a bunch of idiots.

  
  


◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

A day ago—Higuchi Residence: Yokohama

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

_ Those words always echoed in her head. Higuchi ignored those words everyday since they echoed on the exact same day. Never once did she question it nor did she try to figure out why they spoke in such a gentle tone.  _

_ Waiting patiently for her sister to finish the last decorations, Higuchi Ichiyō read her book with a smile on her face. This book, that had stayed with her since childhood, always brought a smile to her face no matter how many times she read it. A story about a young beautiful woman who felt helpless and useless, be in love with a man who protects her everyday. The man, who loves the woman so deeply, married her at the end.  _

_ Such a lovely love story. If only it was real...with Akutagawa maybe. Just the thought of having him holding her in his arms while saying sweet things to her. Sword in his hand while the other held hers. And then when defeating the wimpy tiger they will fall in love and marry.  _

_ "Onee-chan!" A happy voice shouted getting her attention back. Turning to the door she sees her younger sister smiling to her. Holding a giant tray with a cake on it, the girl holding it smiled. "Happy birthday, onee-chan!"  _

_ "Thank you very much, Natsu," Higuchi smiles, setting aside her book to give her sister full attention.  _

_ Natsu's long blonde hair was the only difference between them. Both having brown eyes and both having fair skin. Setting down the cake, Natsu raised a simple kitchen knife and cuts it down in pieces. "Here you go, onee-chan," Natsu handed over the plate with the creamy slice. A single candle on top of it.  _

_ "Thank you very much, Natsu. It looks so tasty!" Higuchi beamed, quickly think of a wish she blew the candle lightly.  _

_ Natsu's eyes shined. "What did you wish for, Onee-chan?"  _

_ Higuchi smiled as well. Her shirt blonde hair shining with the background.  _

_ "I wish for the two of us to stay like this forever." _

_ (The Next Morning)  _

  
  


_ Higuchi sits up with a heavy sigh coming from her lips. She was never a morning person, especially after she had celebrated her birthday no less. Her sister is just so cute to just ignore.  _

_ Slowly removing the blanket from her body, the mafia member stood up from her bed after shifting her legs towards the floor. Walking towards her closet, she scratched her messy hair feeling some crusts of dead skin still lingering in there. While disgusting as it might sound, the feeling of someone caressing the head gently while removing the crusts that are itching so badly. It is one of her favorite feelings. Although the major downside is the filth left in the nails.  _

_ Opening her closet, she picked up her usual attire. However before she could even do anything the door is slammed open.  _

_ "Onee-chan, the bath is ready!!"  _

_ "Natsu....why so early in the morning?"  _

_ "Come on now onee-chan, now is not the time for you being a lazy bum!"  _

_ Higuchi couldn't stop her sister as she is being dragged to the bathroom. Stripping her of her clothes in seconds before furiously cleaning her off. Natsu didn't stop when Higuchi asked her about breakfast and only focused on her hair which is once again filled with dead skin cells.  _

_ "Onee-chan, could you stop scratching your head in the middle of the night?!" Natsu breathed out furiously. Her brown eyed looking with disgust at her sister who only yawned in response.  _

_ "Can't be helped, Natsu. It's a habit. You can't stop habits like how I can't stop having you clean me," Higuchi hummed sleepily.  _

_ "And feed you, cloth you and pamper you! Seriously, you should ought to do something yourself you know!" Natsu argued.  _

_ "I'm trying my best," Higuchi argued back.  _

_ "No you're not! If you did then I wouldn't be here!"  _

_ "....I'm still trying, Natsu."  _

_ The youngest sighed as she washed the shampo from her head. Grabbing a few towels, she watched how Higuchi stepped out the tub and accepted the towel. Natsu placed the mafia outfit down before walking out of the room to take care of breakfast. Finally getting out, Higuchi walked towards the kitchen and quickly grabbed her omurice and eats it so fast that Natsu honestly looked disgusted.  _

_ "Onee-chan, that's disgusting you know. Eating so fast is bad for your body.."  _

_ "I need to get extra early for work today. I am having a mission with Akutagawa-senpai and I can't let him down!"  _

_ Natsu rolled her eyes. Watching how Higuchi shoved a toast in her mouth, the younger girl sighed. "Again? Are you sure your not in love?"  _

_ "No way! He is my superior! Falling in love with him is..." she didn't finish, that piece of toast is stuck and coughs hard. Natsu quickly gives her a glass of water.  _

_ Chucking it all down, Higuchi slammed down the cup of water. "...and even if we do have a romantic love life what will others think when hearing his assistance is dating the mad dog!"  _

_ "Where you actually talking while drinking?" Natsu questioned, eyebrow raised.  _

_ "Not only that but Gin is his sister! How would she react!"  _

_ "I think you should think about yourself first before others," Natsu pointed out.  _

_ "Or perhaps...what if marriage gets involved?!"  _

_ "Onee-chan! This is not the time or day!"  _

_ Higuchi ignored her younger sister as she grabbed her bag. Putting in her phone, wallet and ID, she walked out the door. Natsu waved while she walked down the stairs.  _

_ "Come back safely, onee-chan!"  _

_ "I'm going to be fine, Natsu!"  _

_ Even though she said that....a strange sensation came over Natsu as she watched her sister—Ichiyō Higuchi—walk out the door. _

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Present: Yokohama; Armed Detective Agency

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

  
  


——Higuchi Natsu, Ability: Muddy Waters—the younger sister of Higuchi Ichiyō, remained seated in the Armed Detective Agency. 

The principal at her school said that yesterday, May 3rd, would be their last day at school so that many students will take the moment in after what happened with the events of Dragon Head. Whatever luck charm she had picked up it was best not to dwell much on her, for she is lucky to have it now. 

Kyōuka always kept turning to her. Natsu had been told most of what there is to know about her all thanks to her sister. Even thought it was a very stupid idea to go here, but it is just as stupid to go to Port Mafia. These people are in a alliance with them and they are already known as the heroes who solved the kidnappings of so many people—where Kunikida Doppo's face was the main headline—and also the ones who took down the Moby Dick. 

What was she thinking?! To actually go as far as to ask this place and not get contacted by the Port Mafia! 

"Miss," a voice interrupted making her look up to see Dazai looking at her. Ah, she has done it again! This stupid girl. 

"We understand that you don't want to contact the Port Mafia but with this piece of information we need to find out or Port Mafia just took her phone in or sent her out to a what longer mission," he explained as he walked towards her. Placing his hand on her head, he gently gives her a pat. "But if they have no idea then we are going to have a search party with them." 

She knows. She knows that they would be involved one way or another. "I know that....but I just want her to come home already." 

Dazai retracts his hand. Bending down to one knee he glances to her phone which she still had open. "Can we get some pictures of the day before she disappeared?" 

She didn't nod but did open up her photo documents and swipe to the birthday pictures. Handing the device to the detective, she flinched when he briefly brushed her fingers. 

"You're scared, aren't you?" Dazai asked, standing up to full height. 

Natsu remained silent but they both knew that the answer was yes. Higuchi has shot Naomi half to death, she also was there to assist with Akutagawa to take Atsushi to the Mafia, she also helped the Mafia with their missions but as previously said she did it because it was her work. Nobody would hate her considering it was her job. 

Even so, wherever she is could only remain a mystery. 

Dazai left and handed over the phone to Ranpo. Ranpo is a young man with a fair complexion and short, messy black hair. His eyes, which are closed most of the time, are green. His attire consists of a brown inverness cape that he wears over his shoulders and whose color matches both his hat and his pants. Under that, he wears a dark grey blazer and a white button-up with a light and dark blue striped tie. Under his three-quarter length pants, he wears long white socks that cover the visible part of his legs, and simple black shoes.

Natsu looked away from Kyōuka's gaze once again. What did she do? 

"Um, Natsu-chan, you can come here so that we can get some DNA samples," Naomi said nervously, standing next to the couch. "In the worst case scenario it would be best to get some evidence it is...." 

Naomi trailed off, making the room feel dreaded. If it was just a normal stranger then it would have been different but this is a Port Mafia member, assistant to Akutagawa Ryunosuke and one of the only non-ability users in the mafia. One of their most loyal members hasn't returned over twenty-four hours and of course their only family member hasn't contacted them. 

....she should have just stayed at home if she knew that this would happen. 

Natsu stood up and followed after her, dragging her bag with her. 

"Natsu-san," Atsushi butted in. Natsu turned to him, her eyes looking down on the ground. "We need your bag. In case anyone is bugging it." 

She didn't argue back and only gave the bag to the ability user. He smiled but his eyes were filled with worry as he walked back towards his co-workers. 

Walking after Naomi, Natsu only prayed that her sister would be safe. 

__

(◣)

—

  
  


“Don’t forget Natsuko-chan, you are always welcome no matter what. Oh, and please let me know when your little sister is coming here too!” 

Higuchi waved to her aunt. Turning away from her, the former Yakuza heir went down the stairs of the apartment building. Each step echoing down in her ears. 

From on top of the apartment, Mishima looked down at them. “She finally awakened. Now the mafia is more powerful than previously predicted.” 

Kawabata puts away his cigar. A frown gracing his young face. “Not only that but now that her body is practically only now 10% of her ability back we are practically more screwed over.” 

Mishima sighed; wincing when he bent over. Their original plan was to capture her and bring her back to the household, unfortunately they were ambushed by the family doctor. She was never really part of the family and was more with Natsuko than anything. 

Despite uncertainty about the single origin of yakuza organizations, most modern yakuza derive from two social classifications which emerged in the mid-Edo period (1603–1868): tekiya, those who primarily peddled illicit, stolen, or shoddy goods; and bakuto, those who were involved in or participated in gambling.

Tekiya (peddlers) ranked as one of the lowest social groups during the Edo period. As they began to form organizations of their own, they took over some administrative duties relating to commerce, such as stall allocation and protection of their commercial activities. During Shinto festivals, these peddlers opened stalls and some members were hired to act as security. Each peddler paid rent in exchange for a stall assignment and protection during the fair.

The tekiya were a highly structured and hierarchical group with the oyabun (boss) at the top and kobun (gang members) at the bottom. This hierarchy resembles a structure similar to the family - the oyabun was often regarded as a surrogate father, and the kobun as surrogate children. During the Edo period, the government formally recognized the tekiya. At this time, the oyabun were appointed as supervisors and granted near-samurai status, meaning they were allowed the dignity of a surname and two swords.

Bakuto (gamblers) had a much lower social standing even than traders, as gambling was illegal. Many small gambling houses cropped up in abandoned temples or shrines at the edges of towns and villages all over Japan. Most of these gambling houses ran loan-sharking businesses for clients, and they usually maintained their own security personnel. Society at large regarded the gambling houses themselves, as well as the bakuto, with disdain. Much of the undesirable image of the Yakuza originates from bakuto; this includes the name Yakuza itself.

Because of the economic situation during the mid-period and the predominance of the merchant class, developing Yakuza groups were composed of misfits and delinquents who had joined or formed Yakuza groups to extort customers in local markets by selling fake or shoddy goods.

The roots of the Yakuza survive today in initiation ceremonies, which incorporate tekiya or bakuto rituals. Although the modern Yakuza has diversified, some gangs still identify with one group or the other; for example, a gang whose primary source of income is illegal gambling may refer to themselves as bakuto.

But unlike many, the Higuchi had a certain group of doctors that did most of the dirty work. Or mostly, the Yubitsume. 

Yubitsume, or the cutting off of one's finger, is a form of penance or apology. Upon a first offense, the transgressor must cut off the tip of his left little finger and give the severed portion to his boss. Sometimes an underboss may do this in penance to the oyabun if he wants to spare a member of his own gang from further retaliation. This practice has started to wane amongst the younger members, due to it being an easy identifier for police.

Its origin stems from the traditional way of holding a Japanese sword. The bottom three fingers of each hand are used to grip the sword tightly, with the thumb and index fingers slightly loose. The removal of digits starting with the little finger moving up the hand to the index finger progressively weakens a person's sword grip.

The idea is that a person with a weak sword grip then has to rely more on the group for protection—reducing individual action. In recent years, prosthetic fingertips have been developed to disguise this distinctive appearance.

Many Yakuza have full-body tattoos (including their genitalia). These tattoos, known as irezumi in Japan, are still often "hand-poked", that is, the ink is inserted beneath the skin using non-electrical, hand-made and handheld tools with needles of sharpened bamboo or steel. The procedure is expensive, painful, and can take years to complete.

When Yakuza members play Oicho-Kabu cards with each other, they often remove their shirts or open them up and drape them around their waists. This enables them to display their full-body tattoos to each other. This is one of the few times that Yakuza members display their tattoos to others, as they normally keep them concealed in public with long-sleeved and high-necked shirts. When new members join, they are often required to remove their trousers as well and reveal any lower body tattoos.

The doctors in the Higuchi family have one of the top doctors. They will do anything to get the results they need. Even if it meant themselves. Tattooing themselves to make sure they were part of the yakuza, even going as far as to do it in front of everyone to show off their worth. Only one doctor didn’t. The doctor who is almost too hard for others to listen to, one that doesn’t think twice before acting. 

_ “She who touches human life, shall bring you virtue _ ” is what they say when she comes back. Her eyes glow through the night as she follows the goddess of the yakuza. 

Kawabata crouched down, ready to attack. “What shall we do? Attack her or kill her?” 

“We can’t eliminate her yet. Oyabun had given any order to kill her yet,” Mishima said, putting the cigar away. “So attack her.” 

A beam came in between them. The two turn around to see—

“I’m not even surprised to see you here,  _ The Horror Doctor. _ ” 

Her eyes shone a dangerous malice glow. “It’s fine boys, I’m always ready to kill anyone that dares to ruin her life again.” 

The woman—Ariyoshi Sawako: The Doctor’s Wife—raises her hand up and a spear materialized. “Now, let's play!” 

  
  


__

(◣)

—

  
  


"The results will come in twenty-two hours. Get yourself comfortable in the meantime." 

"Thank you very much." 

Natsu walked out of the as she adjusted the little bandage on her elbow. Turning towards Naomi she stood there for a while before getting back on the couch. Both sit down opposite of each other just in time for Dazai to come back with the device, handing it to the young Higuchi. 

"Thank you very much for going through your phone. We found very valuable information that might link us to the time period of her sudden disappearance," Dazai said "Can we get more context on the day before she left? If we get your story to match with that of the mafia's then maybe we can determine if she has been kidnapped or been staying as a resident of the Port Mafia." 

"Of course," Natsu agreed after she looked over her phone. 

Kunikida walked in with Ranpo right next to him. Both sat down next to Naomi. Tanizaki, Atsushi and Kyōuka are probably copying the pictures that have been sent to their phones. 

"Umm, can't you use your ability, Ranpo-san?" Naomi asked, turning to her co-worker. 

"I did but something doesn't make any sense." 

"What do you mean?" Kunikida asked. 

"Considering that it looks so easy. One person has been missing yet for some reason it doesn't look like a kidnapping. My ability can't be fully activated until everything is set in stone for me," Ranpo explained making everyone nod. 

Natsu feels her nails clawing through her palms. Ranpo frowned, his green eyes opening to look at the young ability user. "It is also confusing. But for now the real issue here is a young girl possibly losing her big sister." 

"Natsu-chan, can you please tell us more about the day before she disappeared?" Naomi asked. Kunikida opens his notebook, pen ready for writing every little detail. 

Natsu played with her hair. "When she gets back from the mafia she usually has a souvenir with me and tells me about her adventures, which is why I knew that this place would put her potential trouble...but I don't give a damn if this means a potential war, I just want her back." 

"You made a wise decision," Ranpo admits, his lips curving into a smile. 

Natsu ignored his words and only gripped her phone. "Ever since she got the job at the Mafia she always came home late. Ever since the Moby Dick incident however she always called me more often." 

"And before that she only called you twice a day?" 

"Yes. But after that she called me five times a day." 

Kunikida nodded. He is rather glad that Dazai isn't messing around with him right now. This is very valuable information and probably he has some type of tactic to have Mori confess either to help. 

"And then the whole ability to attack others..." 

"Did you also get involved with that?" Kunikida asked, looking up to her. "Many Ability users were in a moment of defense." 

"I wasn't. Onee-chan fought it the whole time," Natsu answered. 

"I see. Did she have any injuries?" 

"Only one third-degree burn and a broken leg. She told me that she ran towards an abandoned warehouse and burned the whole place down," Natsu answered, having her lips turn into a smile. "She really is a cool sister." 

Kunikida cleared his throat, making Natsu snap out of her memory. Right. Her sister has disappeared somewhere and she is now on a turf where she doesn't belong to look for her. "She didn't come home after that saying she had to finish a few missions so that we could both celebrate our birthdays." 

"Hmm? You're both born on May second!?" Naomi asked, silencing herself when everyone turned to her. "My apologies for shouting." 

"It's okay," Natsu smiled. "We have a six year difference. That's why we mostly celebrate our birthdays at different times. She in the morning and me at night." 

"Interesting," Kunikida mumbled. "So how exactly did it go?" 

"Just as usual; we eat some cake, make our own curry to judge each other and watch a movie late at night. Oh! We also made our own smoothies!" 

"Oh! What type?" Ranpo asked, excitement in his voice. 

"Onee-chan likes lemon type smoothies. She always says [Only smoothies that my little sister makes are the best in the world]!" Natsu proudly said, her chest puffed out. "It is the job of a little sister to make their older sibling happy." 

"I agree with that!" Naomi agreed, making the men next to her jump at the sudden rise in her voice. "What type of sister can you be if you can't hold a healthy relationship." 

"Right!" Natsu smiled, her once tense and uncomfortable atmosphere had disappeared in favor for a smile where it reveals her one sharp fang. "I knew that somebody would understand one day!" 

"I'm happy she is more comfortable now. If only I knew how a little sister's love would work out. Say, Kunikida-kun, can you become my little sister?" Dazai asked teasingly, poking the idealist on the cheek. 

"Why would I be your sister?!" Kunikida growled, grinding his teeth. 

"Your right. You are basically the mother in this agency~!" Dazai announced just in time for Atsushi to round the corner. Unfortunately he was just in time for him to be tackled by his mentor. "And since I am the father I take full custody of our son, Nakajima Atsushi!" 

"Eh?!!" "WHAT?!!" "What did I just witness?" 

"Isn't it only obvious?" Dazai coed, rubbing his cheek against his student. "This little tiger is the agency's personal pet and child~. Even Kyōuka-chan has more experience but she loves him just as much~!!" 

"Dazai-san...! What are you saying—STOP THAT YOU ARE HUGGING ME TO TIGHT!" 

The only one not affected is Ranpo who let all the information sink in. "So..." he begins again, gaining everyone's attention. "....was she any different then usually?" 

Natsu shakes her head, the smile that had slowly gone up her face disappeared in an instant. It is a ponderous look. "Actually...she did. For some reason she only said one thing." 

Atsushi and Dazai, despite the older one still holding onto his apprentice, leaned a bit closer the same as Tanizaki and Naomi. Ranpo only arched his eyebrow up, Kunikida stopped writing and looked up at her. 

"When I finished baking the cake she for some reason didn't say much other than [Thank you very much]. Even when we watched a movie, she said [Thank you very much]....even when we went to sleep she said that she is thankful for being with me." 

"....does she do that every year?" 

"No. Only this time. She even cried for a little bit," Natsu mumbled as she looked up to think. She did not notice the tiny bandage around her neck loosing up a bit, showing a tiny burn mark. 

"What happened to your neck?" Kunikida questioned, flipping to another page. 

Natsu blinked and looked down. Noticing the loose feeling around her neck, she grabbed the white bandage and loosed it up a bit, more than it already is. "Ah, that," she sighed before smiling. "I have actually no idea. Onee-chan always told me that it was an accident but I know for some reason that it isn't." 

"Why do you think that?" 

"I once told my doctor about it and he said it is the cause of the bullet. For some reason Onee-chan always sighs in relief every time I say that," Natsu frowned. "I always get bullied for it and for some reason every time I get back—and she is really early from work—she always cries and goes into a mental breakdown." 

"That's strange," Dazai comments. 

"Onee-chan also sometimes stares at a knife for a very long time. It scares me sometimes." 

"Why haven't you called the police?" 

Natsu shrugged. "Thought it was a mafia thing." 

Naomi chuckled at the girl's honesty. Kunikida nodded, understanding her thought process if he was in her position. Dazai looked dazed, as if realization just hit him about that and Atsushi only looked with a sweatdrop. Tanizaki looked over the papers that he and Kyōuka had conducted, the former assassin not getting anywhere close to the girl. 

"Hmm, this is really strange. She is such a stubborn girl that I would have thought that she would have cracked more openly, but to think she cracked on random occasions," Ranpo mumbled, his hands opening a bag of chips. "Well, not that it matters I already have a good gist of things now." 

"Really?!" Natsu demanded, standing up and slamming her hands on the table. The sudden action caused the water from her bottle to snap and float around her. "Where is she?!" 

"That's what we are going to figure out!" Ranpo cheered, placing the bag of chips on the table to pull out his glasses. Putting them on his nose, he adjusts them neatly. "Ability: Ultra-Deduction." 

Everyone stayed silent as Ranpo deducted everything. Natsu slowly sat down and opened her bottle. Wherever her sister is she will give a good scolding. 

Ranpo opened his green eyes, wide and rounded. "You should go fast, Natsu-chan." 

"Huh?" Natsu turned to him. "Why?" 

"If you don't, she'll die." 

  
  


__

(◣)

Higuchi coughed, her eyes looking at the bodies laying in front of her. Her fists are bleeding from the amounts of time she had to punch them. Or more specifically the person in front of her. 

Walking from the apartment towards the train station had been more difficult than originally thought. First she was met up with three wannabe gangsters before a whole entire Bōsōzoku. 

Bōsōzoku (, literally "running-out-of-control (as of a vehicle) tribe") is a Japanese youth subculture associated with customized motorcycles. The first appearance of these types of biker gangs was in the 1950s. Popularity climbed throughout the 1980s and 1990s, peaking at an estimated 42,510 members in 1982. Their numbers dropped dramatically in the 2000s with a reported number of under 7,297 members in 2012.

Bōsōzoku style traditionally involves boilersuits similar to those of manual laborers or leather military jackets with baggy pants, and tall boots. This uniform became known as the tokkō-fuku ("special attack clothing") and is often adorned with kanji slogans. Typical accessories to this uniform are hachimaki, surgical masks, and patches displaying the Japanese Imperial Flag. Bōsōzoku members are known for taking a Japanese Road Bike and adding modifications such as over-sized fairings, lifted handlebars shifted inwards, large seat backs, extravagant paint jobs, and modified mufflers. Bōsōzoku styles take inspiration from American choppers and greasers.

The word bōsōzoku is also applied to motorcycle subculture with an interest in motorcycle customizing, often illegal, and making noise by removing the mufflers on their vehicles so that more noise is produced. These bōsōzoku groups sometimes ride without motorcycle helmets (which in Japan is illegal), also engage in dangerous or reckless driving, such as weaving in traffic, and running red lights. Another activity is speeding in city streets, not usually for street racing but more for thrills. With many bikes involved, the leading one is driven by the leader, who is responsible for the event and is not allowed to be overtaken. Japanese police call them Maru-Sō (police code) and occasionally dispatch police vehicles to trail the groups of bikes for the reason of preventing possible incidents, which may include: riding very slowly through suburbs at speeds of 10-15 km/h, creating a loud disturbance while waving imperial Japanese flags, and starting fights that may include weapons (such as wooden swords, metal pipes, baseball bats and Molotov cocktails). These bōsōzoku gang members are generally between 16 and 19 years old.

They were first seen in the 1950s as the Japanese automobile industry expanded rapidly. The precursors to the bōsōzoku were known as kaminari zoku (, "Thunder Tribe"), urban motorcyclists more akin to the British rockers.[citation needed] Many, if not most, bōsōzoku members came from a lower socioeconomic class and may have used the motorcycle gang activities as a way to express disaffection and dissatisfaction with Japanese mainstream society.

In the 1980s and 1990s, bōsōzoku would often embark on massed rides, in which up to 100 bikers would cruise together slowly en masse down an expressway or major highway. The motorcyclists would run toll booths without stopping and would ignore police attempts to detain them. New Year's Eve was a popular occasion for the massed rides. The bikers would sometimes smash the cars and threaten or beat up any motorists or bystanders who got in the way or expressed disapproval of the bikers' behavior. Participation in the gangs peaked at 42,510 members in 1982.

In 2004, the Japanese government passed a revised road traffic law which gave the police more power to arrest bikers riding recklessly in groups. With increased arrests and prosecutions, bōsōzoku participation went into decline. As of 2010, police reported that the new trend among bōsōzoku was to ride together in much smaller groups and to ride scooters instead of heavily modified motorcycles. Aichi Prefecture was reported to have the highest number of riders, followed by Tokyo, Osaka, Ibaraki and Fukuoka.

In February 2011, the Japanese National Police announced that membership in the gangs had fallen to 9,064, the lowest number since the collection of data on the gangs began in 1975. The police put the total number of gangs nationwide at 507, down 76 from 2009. Their number in the Tokyo area had fallen from 5,300 in 1980 to 119 in 2012. In 2013, the National Police Agency re-classified bōsōzoku biker gangs as "pseudo-yakuza" organizations.

Higuchi understood from the logo alone that they are part of the Higuchi family. 

“So, you are  _ The White Ones _ ?” Higuchi questioned, her red eyes slowly turning back to her brown ones. 

A woman stepped up. Long black hair with red highlights. Black eyes and mask on. Wearing the traditional type of clothing. The tokkō-fuku is usually worn open with no shirt underneath, exposing their bandaged torsos and baggy, matching pants tucked inside tall boots. Tokkō-fuku in Japanese means "Special Attack Clothing", which is the uniform of the Kamikaze pilots, the Tokkō-tai ( "Special Attack Battalion"). These tokkō-fuku uniforms are typically adorned with militaristic slogans, patriotic rising sun patches, or ancient Chinese characters. The uniform is often accompanied by a tasuki, a look inspired by Japanese World War II fighter pilots.

Leather jackets embroidered with club/gang logos, and even full leather suits are also seen as common elements of the bōsōzoku look. Other items in the bōsōzoku wardrobe usually include round sunglasses, long hachimaki headbands also with battle slogans and a pompadour hairstyle usually attributed to either the greaser/rocker look or a look that tends to be associated with yakuza thugs. The punch perm hairstyle and Surgical masks are also considered common bōsōzoku attire.

“We are. So what, damsel in distress?” 

She frowned, glaring at the leader of the White Ones. “Who are you?” 

“Arita Homura, leader of The White Ones. We came here to take you back, piece of shit.” 

“That’s a very rude way to speak to the heir of the yakuza.” 

Homura snorted. “Heir? You mean the weak woman who joined the Port Mafia to die? You are one of the weakest ones, next to that Rabid Dog you never ever ones been important!” 

“Because I chose too,” Higuchi said, her hands tightening. “I know that the mafia don't particularly like me. But they did give the position to leave, even if it would be hard I never left.” 

“Because it’s hard to leave in an organization as big as the Port Mafia. In the Yakuza you can leave and join back whenever you wish!” 

“Liar.” Higuchi glared at her, electricity slowly coming up her hands. “If it was that easy, why are you here?” 

Homura raised her hand. “Ability: The Twilight Years!” 

“Don’t bother!” Higuchi shouted, her electricity shot towards Homura’s hand. While not powerful it still made the woman step back while many of her goons ran towards the now mafioso. 

The heir to the yakuza smiled bitterly. “Even though I will die here, my sister is waiting for me. So I have to teach you boys a lesson.” 

Punch in the face to the right goon, kick in the shins for the left goon. Back flip; roundhouse kick. 

Homura glared at the whole sight before extending her hand towards them. “ **KILL THAT TRAITOR AND BURN HER AT THE STAKE!** ” 

“10% power usage?” Higuchi sighed, already feeling tired. Electricity cracking more violently around her, her hair also violently going up with the wind. “Guess I have to try out.” 

Her hand extended to them, electricity going to her finger tips. 

“Ability: Growing Pains.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The author carnation here is Ariyoshi Sawako. She wrote the story the Doctor’s Wife, The Twilight Years and The River Ki. 
> 
> The character Arita Homura is named after the books Homura and The River Arita. She also wrote The White Ones, which are all in this chapter. 
> 
> Also, what Higuchi’s ability is will be revealed later on. Also, a thing for Natsu. 
> 
> Natsu is the nickname of Higuchi Natsuko’s real life counterpart. Her ability: Muddy Bay/Waters is also A book Higuchi made.


	5. A Bloody Sight For Sore Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Memories pop up every now and then. 
> 
> The investigation to her mysterious disappearances takes an interesting turn.

  
  


**When I was five, my kill rate was thirty-five.**

_ Natsuko stared blankly at the wall in front of her. Blood smeared all over it, the sprayed red liquid dripping down till the tile floors. For her life in isolation she was only allowed to go outside a few times. On those times her father called her, told her what to do and went on with the day. _

_ A day consists of being chained up, having water forced into her throat and pleasing her family members with her body. A sad and lonely cycle of being leashed by a single man that helped her make birth.  _

_ A sad fact that makes her the curse of the yakuza.  _

_ Even with no equalities, the yakuza still is the highest peak of the city. With them being on the natural grounds, not even the Port Mafia wants to pick a bone with them. With the current head being a tyrant he still holds some sanity to not attack them. Especially with their rumored child of the gods.  _

_ As such, this roque mission had been given to her and her alone. With her squad of gangsters.  _

_ Yakuza are regarded as semi-legitimate organizations. For example, immediately after the Kobe earthquake, the Yamaguchi-gumi, whose headquarters are in Kobe, mobilized itself to provide disaster relief services (including the use of a helicopter), and this was widely reported by the media as a contrast to the much slower response by the Japanese government.The Yakuza repeated their aid after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, with groups opening their offices to refugees and sending dozens of trucks with supplies to affected areas. For this reason, many Yakuza regard their income and hustle (shinogi) as a collection of a feudal tax. _

_ The yakuza and its affiliated gangs control drug trafficking in Japan, especially methamphetamine.While many Yakuza syndicates, notably the Yamaguchi-gumi, officially forbid their members from engaging in drug trafficking, some other Yakuza syndicates, notably the Dojin-kai, are heavily involved in it. _

_ Some Yakuza groups are known to deal extensively in human trafficking.The Philippines, for instance, is a source of young women. Yakuza trick girls from impoverished villages into coming to Japan, where they are promised respectable jobs with good wages. Instead, they are forced into becoming sex workers and strippers. _

_ Yakuza frequently engage in a unique form of Japanese extortion known as sōkaiya. In essence, this is a specialized form of protection racket. Instead of harassing small businesses, the Yakuza harass a stockholders' meeting of a larger corporation. They simply scare the ordinary stockholder with the presence of Yakuza operatives, who obtain the right to attend the meeting by making a small purchase of stock. _

_ Yakuza also have ties to the Japanese realty market and banking, through jiageya. Jiageya specialize in inducing holders of small real estate to sell their property so that estate companies can carry out much larger development plans. Japan's bubble economy of the 1980s is often blamed on real estate speculation by banking subsidiaries. After the collapse of the Japanese property bubble, a manager of a major bank in Nagoya was assassinated, and much speculation ensued about the banking industry's indirect connection to the Japanese underworld. _

_ As a matter of principle, theft is not recognised as a legitimate activity of Yakuza. This is in line with the idea that their activities are semi-open; theft by definition would be a covert activity. More importantly, such an act would be considered a trespass by the community. Also, Yakuza usually do not conduct the actual business operation by themselves. Core business activities such as merchandising, loan sharking or management of gambling houses are typically managed by non-Yakuza members who pay protection fees for their activities. _

_ There is much evidence of Yakuza involvement in international crime. There are many tattooed Yakuza members imprisoned in various Asian prisons for such crimes as drug trafficking and arms smuggling. In 1997, one verified Yakuza member was caught smuggling 4 kilograms (8.82 pounds) of heroin into Canada. _

_ Because of their history as a legitimate feudal organization and their connection to the Japanese political system through the uyoku dantai (extreme right-wing political groups), Yakuza are somewhat a part of the Japanese establishment, with six fan magazines reporting on their activities.Yakuza involvement in politics functions similarly to that of a lobbying group, with them backing those who share in their opinions or beliefs.One study found that 1 in 10 adults under the age of 40 believed that the Yakuza should be allowed to exist. In the 1980s in Fukuoka, a Yakuza war spiraled out of control and civilians were hurt. It was a large conflict between the Yamaguchi-gumi and Dojin-kai, called the Yama-Michi War. The police stepped in and forced the Yakuza bosses on both sides to declare a truce in public. _

_ At various times, people in Japanese cities have launched anti-Yakuza campaigns with mixed and varied success. In March 1995, the Japanese government passed the Act for Prevention of Unlawful Activities by Criminal Gang Members, which made traditional racketeering much more difficult. Beginning in 2009, led by agency chief Takaharu Ando, Japanese police began to crack down on the gangs. Kodo-kai chief Kiyoshi Takayama was arrested in late 2010.  _

_ In December 2010, police arrested Yamaguchi-gumi's alleged number three leader, Tadashi Irie. According to the media, encouraged by tougher anti-Yakuza laws and legislation, local governments and construction companies have begun to shun or ban Yakuza activities or involvement in their communities or construction projects.The police are handicapped, however, by Japan's lack of an equivalent to plea bargaining, witness protection, or the United States' Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. Laws were enacted in Osaka and Tokyo in 2010 and 2011 to try to combat Yakuza influence by making it illegal for any business to do business with the Yakuza.  _

_ It is no difference in the Higuchi family.  _

_ “Oujo-sama!” A man shouts, a member of the yakuza who, just like the other members, cares for her health. “We found the culprit. He is now chained up by Raku-sama.”  _

_ “Tell Raku-sama that I will come in a few minutes. I need to see how much money they have taken from us,” Natsuko informed, adjusting her gloves on her slender fingers. The yakuza member nodded and took out his flip phone. He followed her however, his bat ready to hit anyone. “We are the ninkyō dantai. Anyone who messes with us will be met with retaliation.”  _

_ “Nakarai-san, back up please.”  _

_ Tanabe did as told, standing back as Natsuko raised her leg—and kicked the metal door open.  _

_ Bullet soared towards her but with a swift movement of her arm, she reflected all of them with her katana. The sword not being a bit scared, the heir of the Yakuza dashed forward.  _

_ “Stand back! It’s her! The  _ **_Child Of Takemikazuchi_ ** _!”  _

_ “She is just like the legend says!”  _

_ Natsuko ignored their words; her sword cutting their heads off from their shoulders. Blood went up from their bodies like fountains, the red liquid tainting her beautiful blonde hair. Nakarai quickly followed up with a swing of his bat. While not much came on his face he still cringed at the sight of the men groaning in pain.  _

_ Natsuko finished the deed by stomping on his head. Nakarai places his bat on his shoulder, his hands cleaning the mess on her face. “Ojou-sama, we should quickly finish and go back home.”  _

_ “I still need to see how much.”  _

_ “But...Oyabun-same will surely be angry..!”  _

_ “ _ **_Don’t defy my orders, Tosui Nakarai! You dare to question me..!_ ** ” 

_ The electricity that cracks from her body made him shiver.  _

_ “No! I’m just saying that Ane-same will be greatly worried about you!”  _

_ Natsuko stopped, her cheeks becoming red. “Right. My apologies.”  _

_ The thirty-One year old followed her to the computer. Both of their eyes watched how the screen showed the password, both didn’t need to think to know the code.  _

_ “1892,” Natsuko mumbled, watching how the computer is processing the data. “Odd, thought they would put more work in that.”  _

_ “Ojou-sama, commenting on that is bad for your youth.”  _

_ “Silly, Nakarai-san, youth is just an excuse for humans to get lost. Lost in their own desires and lost in their own beautiful mind. It’s a thing that bothers society everyday.”  _

_ “Ojou-sama, talking like that is also bad for your health.”  _

_ The two quickly became silent when the data had been transported to the USB disc. When secured in the plastic container, only then did Nakarai pick her up in bridal style and run off towards the others.  _

_ Unfortunately some goons still had come out of their hiding spot.  _

_ Natsuko, handing the disk to the still running Nakarai, raised her hand.  _

_ “Ability: Growing Pains.”  _

_ |•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•| _

  
  


The pain was intense. 

Higuchi should have understood the problem from the moment she got out from her aunt's apartment. Her body isn’t usually this fit nor physically strong. It was all rendered for the sake of living another life. A life which she knows no meaning off. 

Her plan was simple; live as the persona Ichiyo and accept her job in the Mafia till death found her. Why wasn’t it simple? Oh right, she admired the man named Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. Her admiration made her turn on her original job. 

Her job to die on a mission slowly became her desire to live for him. It was all thanks to Hirotsu that she remembered her goal: 

**_Death by a mission of an organization._ **

So when Akutagawa got taken by an enemy organization she took the opportunity to die. But to also save him. She knew the Black Lizards would come to save him but for some they came earlier than suspected.Her calculations were for the second time; the first with the weretiger and the second with the rescue. 

Why? 

Why can’t she just die? 

Why Why Why  Why  Why Why Why Why Why Why

WhY wHY why WHy WhY WHY whY WHY WhY WHy Why WhY WHY 

**WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY**

**WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY WHY** ?!!!

Why is it that hard to die? 

Can’t she just take a nap? 

Electricity cracks down her legs, dashing forward with a roundhouse kick. Many of the goons screamed in agony as their brain circuits stopped working, blood coming from their mouth with how hard her legs crushed into their head. 

Doing a backflip, she slammed her knees into another’s head. Blood coming from his mouth, her pants also becoming red. 

Shifting her posture, Higuchi punched three goons. Blood coming from their noses. 

Homura looked on with admiration. Eyes sparkling. This is the child of the god of thunder and swords! A child that had been blessed by the gods. 

Takemikazuchi is a deity in Japanese mythology, considered a god of thunder and a sword god.He also competed in what is considered the first sumo wrestling match recorded in history. He is otherwise known as Kashima-no-kami, the chief deity revered in the Kashima Shrine at Kashima, Ibaraki (and all other subsidiary Kashima shrines). In the namazu-e or catfish pictures of the Edo period, Takemikazuchi/Kashima is depicted attempting to subdue the giant catfish supposedly dwelling at the kaname-ishi ("pinning rock") of the Japanese landmass and causing its earthquakes.

Takemikazuchi was originally a local god (kuni-tsu-kami) revered by the Ō clan (, Ō no uji, also written as and was a god of maritime travel. However, the Nakatomi clan who also have roots in this region, and when they took over control of priestly duties from the Ō clan, they also instituted Takemikazuchi as the Nakatomi clan's ujigami (clan deity). Or so this is the observation by Iwao Ōwa in his Jinja to kodai ōken saishi (1989). He goes on to theorize that the Ō clan was originally ōmi (, "greater taboo (priesthood)"), but was usurped by the Nakatomi who were among the "lesser priesthood" (the latter claims descent from the Inbe clan.

The Nakatomi clan, essentially the priestly branch of the Fujiwara clan, also placed the veneration of Takemikazuchi in the Kasuga-taisha in Nara. (The thunder god is one of several gods enshrined.)

When the Yamato kingship expanded control into the easterly dominions, Kashima (Kashima, Ibaraki) became a crucial base. Yamato armies and generals often prayed to the Kashima and Katori deities for military success against the intransigeants in the east. In these ways, Takemikazuchi became an important deity for the Yamato dynasty.

Basically...a war god. 

“So cool! To see the god of war let his daughter fight us!” Homura extended her hand again. “ **DON'T LET THE GOD OF WAR LOOK DOWN ON HER! She is truly our goddess!** ” 

_ “Seriously, you are rather useless sometimes Onee-chan.”  _

_ “The reason why we follow you is because of fear of Akutagawa-sama’s power. What power do you possess that makes us obey you?”  _

  
  


Higuchi didn’t even feel blood coming down her nose. The only thing she heard were the words that made her feel more motivated to fight. 

_ “Ojou-sama, you should take some rest. Your body can’t handle much. I’m worried for you.”  _

_ “Akutagawa-senpai, you should take some rest. I will make some tea for you.”  _

She just followed him the same way Nakarai followed her. 

“I’m not your goddess!” Higuchi shouted, giving a right hook to the last goon coming at her. “I’m part of the Port Mafia! To them I’m just a subordinate!” 

Homura glared at her. “ **Give us back our goddess! You traitors can’t compare to our beautiful statue!** ” 

_ “What power do you have?”  _

Higuchi sighed, blood finally coming from her mouth. Her legs finally gave in…. 

“Ability,” a voice interrupted her fall, “The Doctor’s Wife!” 

A force field hit Homura, sending her away from the blonde. Two arms wrapped around Higuchi’s waist, hoisting her up as they—fly?! 

“Geez, did those golden medals you won just decorations?” 

Higuchi looked at the woman before smiling. “Thanks for saving me, Sawako.” 

“Just doing my job. Let’s go back home.” 

“Sure.” 

_ |•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•| _

  
  


Hirotsu looked down at his cup of coffee. This morning things have gone rather strange. Despite being given a free day off he had yet to see the blonde haired woman that always walks behind Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. 

It reminded him of that one time. 

_ “Are you sure ?” asked Hirotsu.  _

_ “He did not come to the meeting this morning, and he did not reply when Chuuya called.” mouthed Higuchi. _

_ “Maybe he is on a mission abroad?” _

_ “A mission we would know nothing about?” _

_ “We should ask the Boss. Maybe he sent him and told him not to tell us.” _

_ “You’d rather see Mori than check on him?” _

_ “I’d rather die than check on him.” _

_ “Brave old man.” _

_ “If you are so brave yourself, why don’t you call him? Maybe something bad happened and he needs your help.” mocked Hirotsu. _

_ “I called. He did not answer.” admitted Higuchi. She was with Hirotsu in the mafia’s headquarters, and she bite her nails while he was choosing a coffee. Administrative employees kept glancing at them since they did not move from the machine and did not order either, but they were facing a huge crisis and they did not care about anything else. _

_ “What about Gin?” wondered the old mafioso. He was not afraid of anything –but what Higuchi asked from him was just too much. _

_ “She laughed and left.” _

_ “She laughed? The situation is that dramatic, then? And what about Chuuya? He knows where he lives, he would be there in no time with his motorbike.” _

_ Higuchi did not even bother to answer that. Why on earth would an executive go and check on a sick employee? They did not even have proof Akutagawa was sick. But if he was, that was the worst scenario and no one was brave enough to face the Rabid Dog while he was dying in his bed –not even his sister. _

_ “You know what? I’ll go.” She said, tired of negotiating and with a sudden enthusiasm. “I would be the only one of our team to see his place.” she added proudly. Hirotsu was about to reply that she was the only one interested in seeing his place, but he seized the opportunity and smiled. _

_ “You would, yes. And he would be grateful, I’m sure. Since you saved his life when he was kidnapped, he respects you. He would like you even more if you brought him medicine while he is feeling down.” _

_ Higuchi nodded, deciding. _

_ “Wish me luck!” _

She was irrationally stubborn but what she lacks in skills she filled in with her loyalty. His eyes had always trailed her down in confusion every time the boss said she is important. Almost like she was a treasure amongst the golden coins laying in the vault of the Port Mafia. 

Yesterday however it was no different. As he had suspected, she was worrying over Akutagawa for no reason whatsoever. But for some reason her eyes had always flickered at the time, never once looking at anything else other than those two. He didn’t really think of it much until she said those words. 

_ “Is something wrong, Higuchi-kun?”  _

_ “No, I’m just thinking that someone is just here.”  _

_ “As in, inside here?”  _

_ “It’s nothing to worry about. I’m just imagining things.”  _

He did not question much but the way she spoke it was as if she had an eerie feeling. No, like  **someone who is monitoring her surroundings for clues** . 

She is always open for everything, even in the bathroom she was open when Gin was inches away from killing her. Even with her back turned to him she never once put her guard up. Was she confident or just stupid? 

“Hey gramps,” Tachihara said from the bathroom, coming out with his jacket on. “Gin is calling you. She said something about an ambulance.” 

Hirotsu accepted the flip phone and put it by his ear. 

“Hello, Gin….” 

_ |•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•| _

  
  


The streets of Yokohama once again filled with many people. Everyone is either talking about school, talking about their day and obviously the recent event of Dead Apple. So far the public hasn't been able to get much information other than many Ability users who once got hurt by their ability have been healed and are ready to go back home, some did not make it but their families were given the right to place any date to give their fallen family members a memorial. 

Yet the only one that always remembered that day when her ability attacked her was none other than Higuchi Natsu; the younger sister of the now disappeared Higuchi Ichiyō. 

_ "You want someone to fight, right? You want someone to beat, right? Well here I am.  _ **_Ready to beat your fucking ass!"_ ** __

Those words had always been imprinted in her brain. On that day, she was given a gun. On that day no pistol or rifle was taken from the home. Hell, not even a tanegashima, only a katana and a naginata. 

Whatever she did with both weapons after her fight remained a mystery to Natsu. After the events of Dead Apple neither had spoken a decent conversation. They only talked when cleaning the wounds that have opened during a mission. That was the only time they spoke about something. And everytime it always began like that: 

_ "....I'm sorry, Natsu." Higuchi cried, tears slowly building up in her brown eyes. "I'm so sorry that I'm useless, Natsu. I'm always in the way of your future because I can't do anything! I'm so sorry!"  _

_...Natsu didn't mind it. She didn't mind it that they would always cry like that. But she hated how many times she had to say it.  _

_ "Don't worry, Onee-chan. I'm happy with you."  _

Doesn't she already know? Doesn't she already know that she cares for her?! Cleaning up after her, cooking for her and clothing her...did any of that meant anything to her?! Why? Why does she keep apologizing?!

Why is she so...so goddamn depressive all of a sudden?! 

"Natsu-san." 

She stopped walking when she felt somebody holding onto her shoulder. She turned around to see Dazai standing there. His other hand tucked in his pocket while the other is activated. His light blue glow not being missed by her. 

"You have to suppress your anger. Damages are everywhere." 

Blinking, Natsu looked around her to see that some water was coming out of the sewers, flowers were rotting the same as fruits and even some cars were upside down; oil leaking from their tank. 

The blonde chuckled nervously. "Sorry, I just got too heated." 

Kunikida sighed from her right. After the words Ranpo had said Natsu barged out of the agency—actually the window because of how desperate she was. She could already suspect that they all went after her to see or she hadn't broken her legs or strained it but no, she did gymnastics for three years. 

Even so, the amount of people walking to search for her sister makes her feel happy. Atsushi, Kyōuka and Tanizaki are walking only a few paces away from Kunikida, Dazai and Yosano are following too. Ranpo had told them to go with them in case Ichiyō is still barely alive. 

"Do you even know where to look?" Yosano questioned Kunikida as they all stopped near a cafe. 

"The best course of action is to look for alleyways. If there's a possibility that she is kidnapped then those places are always the easiest to look for," Kunikida adjusted his glasses and turned to Natsu "Is there any alleyway that your sister told you about for her missions?" 

"There is one near a five store apartment. You know, the one where Tanizaki-san choked her," Natsu pointed out, making the ability flinch. 

That's right. On their first meeting with Higuchi Ichiyō it was merely a way for them to capture Nakajima Atsushi, she shot Naomi and in retaliation Tanizaki joked with her after using his Light Snow ability. Even though she succeeded in shooting Naomi and distracting Tanizaki long enough to be stabbed by Rashomon from Akutagawa Ryunosuke, she failed to capture Nakajima Atsushi and got slapped by her petty senpai, Akutagawa Ryunosuke. 

The ability only looks pale when Natsu gives him a long stare. "Um, about that..I'm sorry for doing that." 

"You don't need to apologize. You were her enemy at the time. Being choked is part of the job...but you also did it in defense," Natsu said, turning away from him. "That wasn't the worst thing that happened to her." 

"R,right!" Tanizaki sweats bullets now with the heavy words Natsu is saying. 

They continue walking. Eventually Kunikida, Yosano and Tanizaki are walking into one direction while Dazai, Atsushi, Kyōuka and Natsu go one way. 

The walk was silent and awkward. Walking in front of a group of people who had direct contact with the Port Mafia; Dazai Osamu, a former executive and Akutagawa's teacher, Izumi Kyōuka, a former assassin who killed 35 people, and Nakajima Atsushi, a were-tiger who is working together with Akutagawa as New Double Black. 

A very scary group to walk with but for the sake of her sister it is only her position. 

"Um, Natsu-san?" Atsushi asked her to turn to him. 

"What?" 

"I just wanted to know how much do you know about, you know, the Port Mafia?" 

Natsu remained silent as she thought over it. Her sister always told her about the mafia. The first time however that she actually spoke was when she came back with a giant bruise on her right cheek; a giant blue mixed with black bruise that could possibly be from a giant punch or from....

"Well, the first time I thought she mentioned the Mafia was after she broke up with her boyfriend." 

Kyōuka listened in, interested in knowing the former life of Higuchi Ichiyō. 

"I always thought those bruises came from him since he was so abusive to her but he didn't come back after January 14." 

"That's oddly specific," Atsushi comments, walking a bit closer to Natsu who only shrugged. 

"Apparently my cousin threw a birthday party without me. I never knew what he looked like." Natsu frowned once again at the memory. A man with maroon red hair, always smiling creepily while his dead fish eyes look down at her. For some reason, Natsu was always scared to remember what he looked like. So she always asked her but she only ignored it. 

"Onee-chan never once told me about him but I did talk to him once," Natsu absentmindedly scratched her neck, near her scar. "It was in a terrorist attack and I was sorta stuck. Luckily enough onee-chan was there!" 

"That's good to hear." 

"Can you give us his name?" Dazai asked, butting into the conversation. 

"I think sis called him once Yukio-sama." 

Both Dazai and Atsushi turned to each other confused at the sudden pronouncement. If it was her cousin then what was the formal way of speaking to him? Maybe because she respected him? The same way how Naomi spoke with respect to Tanizaki? Or is it different? 

"Is he someone who is superior to her?" Kyōuka finally spoke, having Natsu turn to her. 

"I will say that I always thought that as well. But she never spoke of him like someone to respect. She always said that he was ugly and had dead fish eyes, unbelievable disgusting and very much the definition of being humanities enemy," Natsu describes, frowning as she looked up ahead. "For all I know he isn't someone I want to talk to." 

"....that's very specific as well," Atsushi mumbled, looking to see the girl shrugging. 

The group eventually stop their conversation to walk through the district. They had walked through many alleys but none had led to anything. Eventually the group sat down by a bench not that far away from the nearest alleyway. 

Dazai just ended his conversation—or what she presumed was a conversation—with Kunikida. After she sighed, Natsu took out her phone. "Where are you, onee-chan?" 

  
  


"Dazai-san? What brings you here all of a sudden?" A voice asked. The group turned around to see two individuals standing there. 

A girl with silky, slightly wavy black hair, falling past her waist is standing there. She wears a light, knee-length dress, black stockings, heels, and a stylish, buttoned coat. She also carries a purse with her. The definition of a beautiful, feminine woman with both the elegance and body as one. The other is a man that has a slim build and very pale skin. He has short, choppy black hair with side bangs that reach his chin and turn white at the tips. His eyes are sharp, somewhat baggy, and a dark empty grey. He wears a long, black coat reaching past his knees over black fitting pants and black dress shoes. Underneath his coat, he dons a white dress shirt, decorated with a layered ruffled fabric. He also wears a white cravat.

Natsu blinked at the two individuals but her eyes immediately widened once Atsushi spoke their names. 

"Akutagawa? And Gin too?" 

.....oh she is screwed. 

"We are here because it's our free day. Everyone in the Mafia is free today." Gin glanced at Natsu for a moment wondering whether it was a good idea or bad idea for her to know something about the Mafia. 

"Wait, what did you just say?" Atsushi asked, his eyebrow raised. 

"Are you deaf, Jinko? Today the mafia has no work so most of the members are free," Akutagawa said, his eyes also locking on Natsu. 

"This is becoming more confusing," Kyōuka comments, having Natsu to lower her head. 

"Did you perhaps see your kohai; Higuchi Ichiyō anywhere, Akutagawa?" Dazai asked, being the only one the rabid dog listens to. 

"I did. Yesterday she was with me all day to not kill illegal drug users. Why do you ask?" 

"She's been missing over twenty-four hours now. Somebody very close to her requested us to look for her...and now that we heard that she was with you it might as well change what we had originally thought," Dazai explained, the looks on both Akutagawa siblings slowly turning more serious, less relaxed. 

"What did you originally think?" 

"Either her phone had been taken in by Mori-san or she was given a personal errand to run and accidentally got captured. But knowing you she was probably left out from most of the fighting," Dazai explained; Natsu narrowing her eyes at him. 

Both Akutagawa's turned to each other; giving each other a nod. "We will help you find her." 

"Why would they?" Natsu accidentally blurted out. The girl got both to turn to her, she hides automatically behind Atsushi, the most safest person to stand with. 

"Go ahead, answer her, Akutagawa," Dazai ordered, a smile on his face. 

He closed his eyes, clearly irritated that a traitor is ordering to say something. "Because she is my assistant. That's all that she is and I can't let her die without my permission." 

His words made Natsu narrow her eyes to him. He gives the same look. Atsushi looked rather surprised that just moments ago she was afraid to even look Port Mafia in the eyes, now she is giving him a disappointed look. 

"Um, Dazai-san, who is she?" Gin asked, pinching her brother's arm. 

Dazai clapped his hands. "So glad you asked~! This is Higuchi Natsu, Higuchi Ichiyō's younger sister~!" 

Now this time the faces went from narrow and irritated to wide and shocked. Even Gin couldn't help but have her usual elegant demeanor change into her eyes being wide like plates and mouth open in shock. Natsu however crosses her arms and has her eyebrow raised. "Yeah, her little sister. And now that we have people that have some type of relationship with her we can continue our search." 

"Such a sharp tongue. You were nervous before weren't you, Natsu-chan," Dazai teased, poking at her head. 

Natsu pouted. "Yeah but I don't trust these two. Besides I know that neither of them want to even touch my sister unless it's on a stupid mission." 

Atsushi scratched his cheek. "Isn't that a bit too bold to say to her co-workers?" 

"I don't call people who hold my sister at knife point a co-worker. I call them pitiful bullies, no matter how beautiful they look." 

Gin's eyebrow twitched but she didn't say much. Akutagawa looked at Natsu with a frown, but not one of irritation. The girl noticed his gaze and hid further behind Atsushi. 

A sound ringed through the silence. They turned to Kyōuka who took out her phone. Her fingers flipped it open and tapped on a button. Putting the device by her ear, she talks to the other person. 

"Are you trying to insult us or compliment us?" Gin asked, her eyebrow twitching in annoyance. 

"Whatever makes you sleep at night," Natsu answered, still hiding behind Atsushi. 

"Some bold words from someone who is now in arms reach of a mafia member." 

"My ability is strong enough to beat you, but that depends or that knife of yours will come near my throat." 

Akutagawa eventually became the second shield, his eyes still looking at Natsu who only glared at them both. She certainly looks like Higuchi alright. The same eye color, the same blonde hair and also the exact same skin complexion. The only, obvious difference, is that she is younger than her and wears more color compared to her sister. But the most obvious difference is the scar on her neck. 

"....Tanizaki just called," Kyōuka interrupted the cat fight, having everyone turn to her. Her eyes are wide, blank like she saw a horror scene. 

"Where is she?!" Natsu demanded. 

".....about that...." 

The call was so short that Natsu wished it was long enough.

_ |•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•| _

  
  


There was so much blood. 

Blood splattered in the ocean. 

Blood splattered on the floor. 

And blood even covering the jacket which covered her lower half. 

Natsu could only stand there, frozen in shock as she managed to at least remember to breathe. Her brown eyes remained glued on the sight in front of her. A very bloody scene with the victim being her sister.

Her legs were missing. Hands skewered by the giant stakes impaling her body. Her eyes are closed, blood dripping down from her eyelids. Her upper body was exposed next to her bra that showed cuts by her breasts. 

Gasps resonated through the silence, mostly the horrified gasp from Dazai and Atsushi. Gin tensed next to her brother while Kyōuka looked like she was going to cry. Kunikida and Tanizaki tried to remain as professional as they could but once Natsu came they couldn't look her in the eyes. 

Yosano is the only one who could move as she slowly tried to look for a pulse. 

Natsu couldn't move. Her eyes glued to the sight in front of her. Is she even alive? Is she even breathing? Is she even going to respond to her cries? Is she going to come home? The image of her sister smiling at her in the kitchen, holding her bento ready for her to go to school. 

Many onlookers by the beach also stared at the sight of a woman battered and legs missing getting tended by the Armed Detective Agency members. Police are already on standby to look over the scene. 

Was all of that nothing? Why did she have to go to work today? Why couldn't she just stay home and enjoy their sister's time? 

Why? Why? Why? Why? 

—snap—

"ONEE-CHAN!!" Natsu eventually shouted, her legs moved to go towards her sister but Dazai quickly held onto her. His adult body strength was the only thing that held her back. 

"WHY DID YOU HAD TO TODAY?! YOU PROMISED ME THAT YOU WOULDN'T GET HURT AGAIN! YOU PROMISED!" Natsu yelled from the top of her longs as she tried to claw Dazai's hands from her but it didn't work. "You said that you wouldn't go to the Port Mafia and get hurt....SO WHY?! WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS?!" 

Gin snapped from her gaze, quickly picking up her phone and typing in Hiratsu's phone number. She held the device by her ear; eyes looking at Natsu's struggling form, sympathy coming from her. 

Akutagawa however moved towards Higuchi's impaled body with Atsushi next to him. Kyōuka now being next to Gin to send in the location once he accepts the phone. 

"Please....please....PLEASE DON'T DIE!" Natsu yelled again, her tears becoming more wilder and faster. Eventually she bent down, Dazai being her only support. 

"Hirotsu-san, it's me, Gin. Can you please send reinforcements. This is a emergency." 

" _ Please send me the locations. What's going on? _ " 

Gin glanced at Natsu whose cries became louder. "It's Higuchi. She is heavily injured. Possibly death." 

That didn't help when Natsu only cried further, becoming so loud that Gin had to move further away just to hear her leader. 

" _ We will come in five minutes. _ " 

"Make it quick. I don't think the agency can handle this alone." 

Gin put away her phone, she glanced back to Natsu who had been forced to look the other way. 

Akutagawa and Atsushi both pried the giant stakes off of Higuchi's left hand. Her other hand now being gently wrapped by bandages that Kunikida created with his notebook. Tanizaki waited until the stake was gone and wrapped the other hand with the bandage. 

"We saw her here lying on the floor around 12:30. Her body had been recently placed here but the wounds still look fresh, possibly from yesterday after she came back from work," Kunikida's pen moved as fast to the next page as Yosano explained the autopsy. "She isn't dead, she is very much alive." 

"Then why don't you use your ability?" Akutagawa gritted his teeth as he gently moved her down to the ground, coughing in his elbow to make sure he won't put germs on her already battered body. 

"Yosano-san wants to but her ability isn't working," Tanizaki explains, gently picking her up. His sweater is still around her lower form. "It's as if something doesn't allow her to heal Higuchi." 

"Don't worry. Reinforcements are coming," Gin announced as she adjusted her mask. 

"We already have called the president. He said that Ranpo-san will look over the information we have provided for him." 

Gin frowned. "Are you saying that Higuchi is now becoming a case or something?" 

Kunikida adjusted his glasses. 

"Yes. Higuchi Ichiyō is part of the case, her sister did after all requested to find her not as a Port Mafia member but as a civilian."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nakarai Tōsui inspired Higuchi Ichiyou to write her first book in real life.


	6. Fear Strapped On The Hospital Bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higuchi is now in the hospital. 
> 
> The Armed Detective Agency are investigating and the Port Mafia are guardian.

  
  
  


_ Beep  _

_ Beep  _

_ Beep _

The only sound being heard is that of the machines monitoring her heartbeat. Either a grit of the teeth or a silent curse word came every few minutes. 

Mori looked over the now patched and stitched up body from one of his subordinates, Higuchi Ichiyō, with a grim look. Elise has a blank look in her eyes, almost feeling angry at herself for the damage that has been inflicted onto the woman. Hirotsu, Gin and Tachihara looked from a distance how her chest rises up and down. Her body is completely covered with bandages, wires and other instruments that they cannot identify with the amount of injuries she got. All that they knew is that their superior narrowly avoided death. 

The one that stood the closest to her is her boss, Akutagawa Ryunosuke. His eyes look at the machines that are showing her heartbeat. Every beat made him think over the screams that Higuchi Natsu gave when she saw her older sister, how Dazai held her back, how the nurse with a healing ability couldn’t save her because something blocked it and of course the fact that she was tortured right after she said those words to him. 

_ “I’m going to be fine, senpai.”  _

Lies. They were all lies. No matter how he looked at it she was not fine. 

The door opened showing Nakahara Chuuya—Ability: For The Tainted Sorrow—walking in with Ozaki Kouyou—Ability: Golden Demon—right next to him. The two of them glanced at Higuchi who still didn’t open her eyes. 

“The Armed Detective Agency is now investigating the incident. Apparently her little sister had requested them to look for her and now that she is in such a situation,” Chuuya glanced at the blonde woman, the machine beeping at a reasonable pace. 

“Kyōuka said that the Port Mafia members will be interviewed considering the abnormality of this case,” Kouyou added, unclasping her umbrella. 

Mori’s eyes narrowed down at the monitor. “I see. Let them question us. Higuchi- _ kun  _ has been attacked after she left the Mafia, in a spot where the mafia recently didn’t have any connection since the incident.” 

“You mean the one with Hiraoka?” Chuuya questioned, his eyes temporarily turning away from Higuchi. 

“Exactly. Whoever attacked her is clearly picking a fight with an organization that runs the underground.” 

The door opened, revealing a young girl standing there. Next to the bandages around her neck and her age she looks exactly like Higuchi, an almost exact copy. Chuuya blinked confused seeing her before his eyes met that of Kyōuka, who tried to hold onto the girl. 

“Onee-chan!” The girl shouts, a little too loud but for now that didn’t matter as she bolted towards the bed. Mori and Elise stepped to the side when the young girls approached the bed, Kyōuka trying to hold onto the girl but she just dragged her along. 

“She is still asleep. No need to get all worked up,” Akutagawa said, but he himself is worked up on the inside. 

The girl however gave him a glare before looking back at her sister. Her hands immediately went to the only exposed thing about her; her face. Her trembling fingers touched her sister's cheek, a frown on her face. “You idiot! Why didn’t you use a weapon?! Didn’t you say that you wouldn’t be coming home with so much blood?!” 

“Natsu-san, we can’t touch her yet. The doctor told us not to!” 

“Then she needs to stop making excuses for everything!” 

Hirotsu watched how Kyōuka struggled just to even move her arm towards the door, even Gin blinked at the sudden retaliation the young Higuchi gave. 

“Oi,” Chuuya eventually said, making both girls turn to him. Even though Kyōuka looked ready to bolt, Natsu seemed to not even be moving. “The two of you are making too much noise. Your sister will get annoyed by it.” 

“Do you know what I’m annoyed at? That emo coat, monocle monopoly player and two sidekicks are standing there all ‘oh what happened to her!’, when they usually bully her!” Natsu fired back, tears forming in her eyes. She turned to the rest of the room and glared at them. “Get out! My Onee-chan shouldn’t be bothered by you!” 

“Huh?! Bothered? She is our superior! We are allowed to come here,” Tachihara argues back, walking a bit to her. 

“ ‘She is our superior!’ Ha! What crap you are pulling out of your ass!” Natsu glared back at him, taking a step forward towards him, slightly dragging Kyōuka to her as she struggled. “If it comes to her position next to the emo coat it is all I will listen but when she is alone it is all let’s bully!” 

Tachihara felt his eyebrow twitch. Getting called out is so infuriating. “So? If there was a person who orders you around who has no ability would you follow them?” 

“Ability or no ability, they are your superior regardless!” 

“Ha! That’s the type of logic for a middle schooler!” 

“Then what’s that bandage for? Isn’t that already middle school looking? What, did you find your nose that ugly that you had to hide it?!” 

At this point, Chuuya gave up. He only took the information he received but ignored it. While yes it is extremely punishable to go against a superior's orders, it didn’t help much in Higuchi’s case considering how much she also relies on Akutagawa. 

Now that he looks at it, he doesn’t know anything about her. Seeing the young girl in front of him made him think what Higuchi did before joining the mafia. Seeing how she already has her sister, maybe she did it to protect her? No, it couldn’t possibly be. 

A cough came, making the room go silent. Natsu glared at him. Like a wolf glaring at a sheep, hungrily trying to eat the young fluffy creature. 

Noticing he is being stared at, Akutagawa turned to the girl. “Didn’t the weretiger say anything about the investigation?” 

“Only that I’m allowed to see my Onee-chan,” she huffed, forgetting Tachihara to turn to the rabid dog. “And considering you are here, I’m happy that I got awake in time.” 

“Is that supposed to insult me?” Akutagawa questioned. 

Natsu glared at him. “None at all. But if that manages to change that attitude of yours then maybe Dazai will actually look at you.” 

The room felt like it became cold. Rashomon slowly made its way out of his usual coat. “You wanna say that again?” 

A vase of flowers moved uncontrollably before falling, the water in it snaking around Natsu and Kyōuka. The room looked on in shock. An Ability user? And she is related to Higuchi! Does this mean that..! 

“Only water? Such a useless ability.” 

“A coat? Seems like your taste in fashion is just as bad as your taste in the past with Dazai.” 

Chuuya slapped his hand on his face. Is this girl mental?! Did she look at her sister and thought ‘she is my role-model’ or something?!!

“ **Rashomon: Higanzakura!** ” 

The tendril like monster came from his coat, charging at the girl. 

“ **Muddy Bay (Nigorie): Higanzakura!** ” 

Mori looked shocked as an exact replica of Rashomon appeared. Both monsters bite each other. 

“What the..?!” Chuuya could only mumble. 

Another person came to a stop. “Yep! That’s enough from both of you~!” 

A force field came in between the two. Muddy Bay and Rashomon both collided with the ability. The executives turned around to see a woman standing there. Her brown eyes are narrowed down to the two ability users. Her long brown hair is floating a bit, a purple glow around her. 

“Natsu-chan, you shouldn’t be too loud while Ichiyō is sleeping,” the woman, the doctor said as she walked in. “Also, Port Mafia members. I have to ask you all to leave for now. Surgery needs to be in session!” 

“Is there something stuck in her body?” Mori questioned, his scalpel ready to look as well. 

“Apparently some type of bullet is stuck near her heart. Had it not been for the drugs I gave her two days ago then she would have died on the spot,” the woman answered, walking towards the bed and taking out a marker. “That and I’m taking advantage of the fact that she is not waking up.” 

Chuuya raised his eyebrow at the woman’s grin, reminding him too much of Dazai. Natsu crosses her arms. “Sa-chan, what are you trying to do?” 

“Drawing on her face.” 

“Why?” 

“Because I can.” 

The water around Natsu became a giant pair of scissors. The woman stiffened before smiling. “I’m just kidding. Her face got very much damaged. Her face got many fractures, I’m going to place them all back into place.” 

“How many broken bones does she have?” Mori questioned, standing near a fellow doctor. 

“Enough to become a mummy.” 

Natsu held her tears in but for the rest she didn’t do anything else. Kouyou stepped towards the two, finally saying something. 

“Miss Natsu, you wouldn’t mind telling us what happened?” Kouyou asked, feeling sympathy for the young girl. 

Natsu flinched at her presence but nodded. A thump made everyone look to see Kyōuka falling over, her hands cramped because she held the girl’s arm for too long. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


A ringing sound hit the tile floor. 

Kirino turned away from her papers on her coffee table and walked towards the door. Her hands grab her all mighty Wakizashi. The Wakizashi is similar to the katana but shorter in length. The average Wakizashi is about 50 cm long and was usually worn together with the katana by the Samurai of feudal Japan. When worn together the pair of swords was called daishō, which translates to “large and small”.This sword acted like a side weapon and was worn by the Samurai at all times.

Grabbing the handle, she opened the door to see a man standing there around fifty years old. His grey hair slicked back while wearing a white buttoned up shirt, black trousers and matching shoes. His vest is off showing his one human arm while the other is metallic. His face has two scars; one over his right eye and the other on his nose. On his neck is a tattoo. 

Kirino blinks three times before stepping sideways to let him step in. “It’s been a while since we spoke, Nakarai-senpai.” 

Tōsui Nakarai—Wakagashira of the Higuchi family—opened his black eyes to the former Yakuza member. “It’s been a while, Kirino-san. How have you been?” 

“Very well. Just finished my next report of my last client,” Kirino closed the door and placed her Wakizashi in the secret holder. “Of course, he was merely a office worker. He had recently killed his wife, I'm sure he will come on the news in six weeks.” 

“You’re Ability is amazing for intel, Kirino-san,” Nakarai complimented as he sat down on the cough. Kirino giggled. 

The former Yakuza member grabs two cups and pours in milk. Nakarai closed his eyes over the sound of water hitting the glass. “I heard that Ojou-sama has finally remembered us.” 

“You’re students listen very well. I’m honestly surprised when I heard them talk about killing or attacking her,” Kirino smiled. “It was to make sure Sawako-chan was distracted for Natsuko-chan to beat up Homaru-kun. Very smart of you.” 

“The Port Mafia made her soft. I’m glad. I saw how she reacted against Homura-kun; I’m happy she finally voiced her opinion,” Nakarai smiled, his metallic hand gripping the pillow next to him. “I never felt this proud.” 

“Nakarai-senpai, if Natsuko-chan heard that then she would have mistaken you as her dad, again.” 

He smiled a bit, his chest puffed up proudly at the thought of it. Already imaging her running up to him with a smile saying “Oto-san”. It is a man’s dream. 

“Heard that Andersen is in Japan. I will kill him,” Nakarai said mindlessly, accepting the glass of tea. 

Kirino giggled as she sat opposite of him. “Now, senpai, we can’t have that. You know why he left.” 

“Still, to leave Ojou-sama like that, wasn’t it for me then she would have committed suicide.” 

“Why let her live? She clearly wants to die.” 

Nakarai turned to his kohai who smiled at him widely. Her amber eyes almost flashing red. Clearly the succession had been incorrect. For the succession of Oyabun she clearly should have been the one. Her power ranks higher than anything. Obviously, the current one took advantage of her mission to swoop in. 

“Is it not clear, Kirino-san? Because I love her very much.” 

Kirino frowned. Not entirely satisfied with the answer. “Could you elaborate? I thought you said you loved me more?” 

“I love you too. I also love Sawako-kun. And I also love the yakuza.” 

Kirino clicked her tongue, obviously not amused by his answer. It’s childhood all over again. He remembered how the woman standing in front of him now—battered and bruised from her clients—used to cut down the arteries of her targets, make playful pranks to the other members and have the most connections to gangs and departments. Yet the one in charge is a man with no sense of duty. 

He cares for no one other than himself. His wife also is a reminder of this. Even when she is labeled as an equal to the Oyabun, she has done nothing but training her daughter. And with training he means that loosely. While yes training is needed—why did she have to be put in a cage? 

No matter how he looked at it, he would never train his daughter that way. 

“Senpai, you are very naive,” Kirino said bluntly. “No matter how you look at it, my niece has gone nowhere without the slaps of reality. Even now in the Port Mafia they realize she is unfit in there. Why is it that everyone realizes and yet you don’t?” 

“I have a question for you,” he didn’t let her reply and only continued. “If you had a child that begged you to be free, what would you do?” 

Kirino stayed silent. Her smile slowly twitched.  _ He is always the only one that can do that.  _

“It’s fruitless to ask me, senpai. I killed many children in my years. It doesn’t matter what you say, my death rate is higher than anyone else.” 

“I know, which is why I ask.” 

Kirino tilted her head to the side. Nakarai only dipped his tea. “Only monsters have the kindest heart,” he shifted his eyes to the side where a picture is standing on the table. A picture so clear in his mind; Natsuko riding on his shoulders, the woman right in front of him clinging to his side while another girl with short brown hair is holding onto his leg. Another girl is clinging onto his other leg while two boys are trying to grab onto his remaining body parts which are of course his ankles. 

“Your no monster, senpai. In fact you are too kind to be a monster,” she smiled, not a cold one but a kind one. 

“I suppose so. Even so, I too killed people,” Nakarai places his cup down. “More than back then.” 

“Your one hundred kills does nothing compared to the three thousand Natsuko committed.” 

“She really needs to learn how to share.” 

Kirino smiled, a warm flame coming in her eyes. “Death is normal. Death comes and goes. Regardless if it is done by her or with her, death is still given.” 

Nakarai remained silent. His eyes locked on the table in front of him. Kirino continued however. “Of course, the yakuza is rather blinded by the Oyabun’s words. She was seen as a god not as a human. Her desire to become human was her only will to live. It just happened that the Port Mafia had someone like that in their ranks.” 

“The Rabid Dog, correct?” Nakarai narrowed his eyes at his kohai who only giggled. 

“Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, a very close person to Natsuko-chan. She basically uses him as a decoy to make herself unknown. She is rather smart, you know,” Kirino placed her empty cup of tea down as well. A grin on her face. “Too bad that the Port Mafia and the Yakuza have a tiny rivalry now.” 

Nakarai felt his eyes go heavy slightly. 

“For what he lacks in leadership he fills in for intelligence,” Nakarai tightened his metallic fist. “Enchi-sama had already struck today.” 

“Enchi-chan and Natsuko-chan always had a bitter rivalry on who would be considered human,” Kirino smiled. “Hihihihi! I wonder, who would win in this battle of abilities.” 

Nakarai looked down to his metallic arm. 

“It will be one dangerous battle.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


**_Don’t leave me—_ **

_ Natsuko reaches her hands up to the man.  _

_ His kind blue eyes looked with passion at her.  _

_ His smile being kind, one that made her blush.  _

**_I don’t want you to leave me—_ **

_ She wanted to touch him.  _

_ His warm cheeks.  _

_ His lovely hands ruffling her head.  _

**_It’s scary being alone—_ **

_ Natsuko watched his back turn to her.  _

_ Tears slowly go down her face. Her fingertips trying to touch him.  _

_ To get close to him.  _

**_Don’t leave, Andersen…_ **

  
  
  
  
  
  


“....Don’t leave me….” Higuchi begged only her sleep, her hands being raised slightly. 

Even though the interrogation from the Armed Detective Agency was rather short. They already had an idea what was going on but they held valuable information from them, Kunikida Doppo saying that Edogawa Ranpo had to go back to trace her footsteps. As such, the Port Mafia had to stay with Higuchi while she recovered. Natsu went with the agency saying that she will be of great help. 

Currently sitting next to the comatosed woman is none other than the executive Nakahara Chuuya. His gloved hands are currently cutting his apple in pieces, every now and then looking at Higuchi or she will ever wake up. He put the plate and knife down just in time to grab her hand. 

Rubbing his thumb on her knuckles, the ability user watched how tears stream down her face. Her bandages soaked by the liquid, Chuuya wipes away the water with a tissue. Her grip on him had tightened but he did not let go, the doctor’s words echoing in his head. 

_ “She might open her eyes a few times. It’s rather common for some people in a coma to move absentmindedly. If she talks or tries to touch you let her do it. We can’t have her brain be short circuited.”  _

Chuuya frowned deeply. Who would want to pick a fight with the Port Mafia? The way her body was put there made him wonder how he would be mauled in. She was thrown into the ocean, all the evidence of who attacked her being washed away by the salt water, obviously whoever placed her there had not suspected her to live so he cut off her legs. 

A mere subordinate was put in such a gruesome position, imagine the Black Lizards or Ane-san. 

Or even the boss. 

Will it be worse? Will they die? Or will they be just like this? 

The door opened revealing Akutagawa walking in with the Black Lizards. The Rabid Dog is holding a basket with fruits while Gin is holding drinks. At the sight of Higuchi’s moving hand Tachihara move to the bed. 

“Is she awake?” He asked worriedly, watching the monitor. 

“No. Having a coma dream as the doc said it. She has been like this for ten minutes,” Chuuya answered, her grip tightening once again in his hold. “She is probably having a nightmare.” 

Akutagawa placed the basket down, hands trembling on the object after he glanced to his right hand once more. 

“......don’t leave me….” she cried, her hand trembled in Chuuya’s. 

The executive eventually handed the trembling hand to Tachihara who flinched. Hesitantly he grabbed his superior’s hand; he moved for the what shorter man to pass through, sitting down in his place. 

Chuuya walked towards the basket and looked through the fruits. “Tachihara, whatever you do, don’t let go of her.” 

“Understood,” the nosebandaged man said, crossing his fingers with hers as she held onto him tightly. 

He turned to Hirotsu and Gin. “If anything happens to the monitor then call the doctor.” 

“Understood, Chuuya-sama,” Hirotsu bowed, one hand on his chest. 

Gun only nodded, her eyes already on the monitor. 

And finally, Chuuya turned to Akutagawa. 

“If the Armed Detective Agency comes then you let them in with no questions asked.” 

“Roger,” The Rabid Dog nodded, already walking towards the door. 

“What are you going to do?” Tachihara asked, his hand still holding Higuchi. 

His blue eyes shone nothing else but anger. “I’m going to do some investigation of my own. And I feel like that Dazai figured it out.” 

“He did?” Hirotsu questioned. 

“That shitty mackerel always holds the most important details for his own satisfaction. Not only that but this isn’t a joke,” Chuuya explained, a red glow around him. “That bastard knows who half slaughtered Higuchi.” 

“What are you going to do?” Gin asked. 

His gloves hands removed his fedora hat. His blue eyes glaring daggers at the door. 

“ **I’m going to beat the answers out of them.** ” 

And with that—he left. 

  
  
  


Tachihara looked over the trembling woman. Her sobs being rather quiet, but they filled the empty room. Gin walked towards the monitor and watched the countless spikes. Ever spike being at a reasonable pace. 

“Who would be stupid enough to fight the Port Mafia?” Tachihara asked, eventually using his other hand to touch the blonde’s trembling one. 

“I don’t think they are targeting the Port Mafia,” Hirotsu concludes, his eyes sharpening to the missing legs of his superior. “I’m pretty sure they are targeting Higuchi-kun alone and only her.” 

Gin turned from the monitor to her leader. “What do you mean?” 

“If they wanted to attack the Port Mafia directly they would go for the obvious Akutagawa-kun or even Gin. They are targeting someone that isn’t even that well known,” Hirotsu theorized all the while his eyes trail to where her legs are supposed to be. “And the way they did it too made it seem like a personal grudge.” 

Tachihara looked back at the woman. Her once determined face melted into a crying, helpless woman. Her once shining blonde hair is now a what dirty one from the shampoo that was used to clean her body. Her legs that supported her most of the time had been cut off leaving only the numbs behind. 

He knows that the nurse Akiko Yosano can heal her—while he annoyingly doesn’t like her and her ability—but the fact that something is preventing her from being healed just makes it worse. 

Hirotsu only continued to examine her trembling body and his eyes caught something. Taking out his phone, he made a quick picture. Neither of his subordinates had noticed; theorizing what could have sparked a personal grudge as the man claimed. 

“I want…..you….too stay…” Higuchi sobbed silently, her eyes slightly parted but she is not awake. The Black Lizards only watch how their superior gave a right squeeze into Tachihara’s hand. “....stay here, Andersen.” 

They blinked, all having the exact same question in mind. 

_ —Who is Andersen? _

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


Once more, a newly written page was crumpled.

The man withheld his smirk as he slouched on the sofa with his nose buried in a book. Opting for darker formal attire, his navy pants and vest clashed with the upholstery of the library's couch. Quietly, he pushed his glasses up with a finger, before covering his mouth with the sleeve of his white dress shirt. The cough never came while the scribbling on paper restarted across from him.With a simple glance, he eyed the unusually tense expression of his companion. 

His companion, a man in his late twenties, with combed back turquoise hair and piercing green eyes. His messy clothes match the worried look on his face. It was exactly as he had suspected his companion to be; nervous and very much unprepared for the trip. Not that he had any trouble knowing why. Yokohama is a dangerous place, especially with all the danger that has come recently. 

“Your working way to hard,” he finally broke the ice. “If you want to die from old age then do so quickly.” 

His companion blushed at the man’s words. His smirk making him melt a bit. “Oh shut up, Chris. I’m busy. You try to make a piece of art for the Yakuza no less!” 

The man—Hans Christian Andersen, Ability: Märchen Meines Lebens—merely smirked, as it enjoying his friends pain. 

The author still gave him no visual acknowledgement as his writing hand worked across the notepad with vigor. Soon it stopped, as quickly as the endeavor began, as the younger man simply tapped the tip of his pen against the black pad. It was at this point, Andersen could no longer hold back his chuckle, earning an irritated glare from the Danish author.

“Listen here Herman, even if you don’t have any inspiration then you have no other choice but to go outside and find it!” 

“That’s funny coming from you! Ever since that day ten years ago you wrote over six books, all about a girl put through tragedy!” 

“Because I found my inspiration there,” Andersen tapped his fingers on his notepad. “Something that truly sparked me the right to write. For complete tragedy you must understand tragedy.” 

Herman Joachim Bang—Ability: Fædra and Tina—raised his brow. “What do you mean?” 

Andersen only remained silent after he grabbed a picture frame of a little girl with blonde hair and red eyes. Her smile being mirrored by his. “You remember my story, The Little Mermaid right?” 

Herman clicked his tongue. “Who wouldn’t? The story of a mermaid wanting to reach the human world for the love of her life, only to figure out that said man loves someone else. She turned into foam when she could no longer have the power to kill him.” 

“Exactly,” Andersen crosses his legs over each other. “The inspiration of such a story is no thinking of  **a true tragedy that is beyond romance** —no, that was truly a story of tragedy.” 

Herman sighed. “I don't get you. Nor do I care.” 

Andersen chuckled. His blue eyes looked at the picture frame longer. The little girl wore a matching outfit, although a bit too inaccurate with how different some accessories. “Herman, you may not have heard of my stay in Yokohama, but I will tell you one thing.” 

_ I didn’t ask but sure, _ Herman thought but didn’t say it out loud. 

“ _ Those who scorn her will be met with the gods' wrath. _ ” 

“What is that supposed to mean?” Herman questioned, only making Andersen hive a bitter smile. 

“...it’s nothing. I’m just thinking how much of an ass I am sometimes to achieve her dream.” 

Herman blinked at the sudden change of attitude. He has known Andersen for ten years now, he lived in Japan for four years but he only spoke about his experience once. And that one moment was a whole story dedicated to it. He didn’t know why he went to the Asian country to begin with, but Herman knows that he was very satisfied. 

So much so that he wrote six books about a girl. 

Maybe his assistant Ellen had no problem being here. Maybe her sudden death brought more tragedy into his mind. 

“Everyone knows that, Andersen,” Herman placed his typewriter on his desk. “But I’m certain that your plan for now has some tact.” 

Andersen’s blue eyes shined. “It does. And my plan has been going as I had calculated.” 

“You didn’t do anything yet,” Herman pointed out. 

His friend’s smirk made his heart skip a beat. 

“My plan was always active ever since I met her.” 

  
  


  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Andersen’s ability is a bit strange but that will be revealed later down the line.


	7. Tracing Steps

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu finally tells them the truth. 
> 
> And we get some backstory on how Higuchi and Andersen met

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a really short chapter but it’s mostly for the revelation. At the end I show you just how many OC’s I have been using up to this point.

  
  


Kunikida wrote in his notebook the damage that had been done. “Three craters, five destroyed rocks and a forest in flames. Anything else, Kyōuka?” 

The former assassin turned her head from the photos she had printed. “We found Higuchi’s legs. They were cut down by something similar to a sword or axe. We also can conclude that more than one ability had been used in the confrontation.” 

“Which means that more than one player had been in the confrontation,” Kunikida pushed his glasses up. “No—, it was a two one one battle which concluded with only one being the winner.” 

“And that winner is this woman,” Ranpo concluded, holding up the monitor. The two turn away from the destruction to the detective. Holding a picture of a woman; she wears a pouch belt, alongside her long sleeve shirt to conceal her weapons and a black skirt. Underneath she wears a black full suit, which when worn with her outfit makes it look like she's wearing a stockings.

“Her name is Fumiko Enchi. She was the cause of the case in New Zealand. She was questioned by a police agent only two hours before she blew a house up in the third district,” Kunikida said, flipping through his notebook. “In other words, she is a danger.” 

Ranpo nodded; Atsushi and Tanizaki landed near them, the illusion ability user on the weretigers back. Tanizaki holding a plastic bag with the two missing legs of the blonde subordinate. “Haruno-san did a DNA test to match it with Higuchi-san’s. It’s only 50% positive.” 

“Which means they are half sisters?” Kyōuka asked, her eyes scanning through the DATA file. 

Half-siblings are people who share one parent. They may share the same mother but different fathers (in which case they are known as uterine siblings or maternal half-siblings), or they may have the same father but different mothers (in which case, they are known as agnate siblings or paternal half-siblings. In law, the term consanguine is used in place of agnate). In law (and especially inheritance law), half-siblings have often been accorded treatment unequal to that of full siblings. Old English common law at one time incorporated inequalities into the laws of intestate succession, with half-siblings taking only half as much property of their intestate siblings' estates as siblings of full-blood. Unequal treatment of this type has been wholly abolished in England, but still exists in the U.S. state of Florida.

“That’s correct,” Atsushi said, setting Tanizaki down. “They have the same mother but when it comes to their father it is indeterminate.” 

“That’s because we look so much alike,” Natsu said, walking towards them. The detectives turned to them, seeing her sad expression she must have known. “My papa and Onee-sama’s father are completely different people.” 

_Onee-sama?_

“Who is your sister’s father?” Ranpo demanded. His eyes now open, ready to actually begin this case.

Natsu looked down to her shoes. “His name is Higuchi Isamu. And he is the Boss of the Branch Yakuza.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


Naomi places a cup of chocolate milk in front of Natsu. The young ability user didn’t look up from her lap. Next to Fukuzawa looking straight at her, the mafia boss Mori Ogai is also there with his executive Nakahara Chuuya. 

His eyes are violet, and befitting of a mafia boss, almost always completely dark and devoid of light. He has straight, chin-length black hair slicked back, leaving bangs on each side of his face. He wears a sharp suit, consisting of a white button-up, a black pinstriped suit jacket, black shoes, and black trousers. The shirt has a purple and white striped tie. Over this, he wears a black trench coat and long, almost knee-length maroon scarf he leaves hanging over his shoulders untied. He also wears white gloves. The boss of the Mafia, looked rather angry for some reason. 

Elise appears as a young, short girl with pale skin and bright blue eyes. She has long, blonde hair, styled with straight, blunt bangs across her forehead and long, thick ringlets that curled past her waist. She wears a large red bow on the right side of her head. She wears a red dress with short, puffy sleeves and a frilled, white hem at the bottom. Around the waist is a thin white band. Her collar is white and buttoned, fastened by a pink ribbon. Below, she wears black and grey stockings with red Mary Janes.

Chūya is quite short with a petite, yet muscular build. He has blue eyes and striking orange hair that frames his face, with a longer section that falls just past his left shoulder. He wears a black hat with a red hatband and a thin silver chain that hangs over the brim. His outfit consists of a white button-up shirt under a grey red vest, a black choker in the style of a pet collar, a black ribbon bolo tie held together with a small silver buckle, an open black cropped jacket with the sleeves rolled up at the elbows, black slacks, a black belt hanging off his right hip and black low-arch shoes. He is almost always seen wearing black gloves. Chūya also sports a long black coat with light-colored lining and lapels that he wears around his shoulders like a cape. The undercoat is a light shade of red.

_Ah, I’m screwed._

“So, let's begin from the beginning,” Ranpo began, holding up the actual file of Higuchi. “You knew that she was targeted?” 

“To an extent. When we ran away from the Yakuza she herself had said that Isamu-sama did not want his asset to be out of the game just yet,” Natsu looked at the detective. “So when she was missing I already had a feeling that she was targeted but….to be put through that much torture was not in my mind.” 

Chuuya narrowed his eyes at the information. So in other words, Higuchi knew that she was going to die. 

“Are there other members of the Yakuza that you know who also ran away?” Ranpo asked, as Kunikida wrote down that piece of information. 

“My aunt Natsuo Kirino and first cousin Ariyoshi Sawako. Also my stepbrother but I don’t know where he is currently,” Natsu answered. 

“Do you know what their abilities are?” 

“Aunt Kirino was known to erase memories of members who left. It was named Out. I don’t know much other than the condition is that she can only do it when someone is knocked out.” 

“In Higuchi’s case, strangled,” Yosano comments. 

Mori glanced at Yosano who showed him the otopsie. “Next to the few broken bones just mentioned she had marks on her neck. She was strangled for one hour.” 

“To make sure the memories were fully implanted into Higuchi-san’s mind,” Tanizaki added. 

Mori didn’t speak further as he turned to Natsu. She swallowed hard before continuing. “Onee-sama’s ability is called Growing Pains. It allows her to paralyze anyone that is close to her. Isamu-sama and mama thought that if they could exploit that power into the Yakuza then no one would leave. So for that reason they left her in the care of the yakuza till she was capable of talking.” 

“....and then her training began as a Yakuza member,” Dazai finished, making Natsu nod. 

“I myself only met Onee-sama three times back in the main house. And every time she would be chained to a pole and be ridiculed by our family or either be playing games with the yakuza.” 

“Sounds to me like Higuchi grew up two sided,” Chuuya finally said, his words cutting through the silence with anger laced in it. 

“I only saw her three times before I got too scared to watch her torture.” 

After taking a sip from her milk, Natsu continued. 

“The one who helped her escape was our former guardian; Hans Christian Andersen.” 

Naomi blinked. “You mean that famous Danish author who wrote four tragedies?” 

“Yep. Apparently my sister had so much despair that he wrote five books about her. The one more closer to Onee-sama had to be The Little Match Girl, The Ugly Duckling and The Little Mermaid.” 

“All of them have one thing in common,” Dazai continued, seeing Natsu sigh in relief that she no longer got the watchful eyes of the Port Mafia. “The Little Match Girl and The Little Mermaid all depict a girl being put through pain before death; while the match girl saw the only person who cared about her in the flame before dying, the little mermaid was about someone going through Hell just to be with someone else, only to turn into bubbles and be sent to heaven.” 

“In other words they both depict Higuchi-kun’s unfair treatment in the Yakuza and how her very first love confession had been declined by her lineage and couldn’t kill him because she found it too much for her to handle,” Mori summarized. “And as a result she almost died.” 

“The Ugly Duckling is a more direct tragedy to Higuchi’s life. Depicting a one sore thumb from the other and how outcast that one duck was,” Dazai takes out a picture of a shrine. “More specifically she was an outcast because it had been reasoned that she was the child of a god, correct?” 

“Takemikazuchi,” Kunikida said. “Is a deity in Japanese mythology, considered a god of thunder and a sword god. He also competed in what is considered the first sumo wrestling match recorded in history. He is otherwise known as Kashima-no-kami, the chief deity revered in the Kashima Shrine at Kashima, Ibaraki (and all other subsidiary Kashima shrines). In the namazu-e or catfish pictures of the Edo period, Takemikazuchi/Kashima is depicted attempting to subdue the giant catfish supposedly dwelling at the kaname-ishi.” 

“It has been theorized that Higuchi is a child of god or a reincarnation of said god. However, next to their resemblances in swords, nothing much fits,” Dazai said, cocking his eyebrow. “Or at least that’s what some of the Yakuza members told me.” 

“You interviewed them?” Chuuya eventually asked. His voice sounds so calm that it made Atsushi freeze before answering. 

“When we went to her last known location in Osaka it was revealed that many yakuza members want Higuchi-san not to return for the sake of her own safety. They answered all our questions truthfully with no misconception and even gave us pictures of where she was at that exact time,” Atsushi handed some of the pictures to Chuuya. 

Mori also got a look and sees Higuchi with long hair and red eyes walking with blood coming from her mouth and nose. Black marking over her body. “And this was in the morning?” 

“Correct,” Kunikida answered. “She has just returned from her aunt's place and from the story that we have put together this was after she regained her memories.” 

“...” Chuuya remained silent even after he handed the pictures back to Atsushi. 

“The Yakuza have been pretty much against Isamu-sama and mama ever since day one. The once proud legacy that was for their justice for their duty had begun to crumble under the watchful eye of the new Oyabun,” Natsu clenched her fists. “Or that is what Nakarai-san said to me that day when all of you went to the onsen.” 

“I knew about that part and that she was going to be aborted,” Mori said, making Chuuya glance to his boss. “However, once I became boss I declined the offer.” 

“And you didn’t want to mention that to us because?” Dazai asked, crossing his arms. 

“How should I say it? When I heard that an Higuchi came into my ranks I did make sure to keep an extra eye on her but seeing her very different behavior made me rather disappointed that she was supposed to be sold to the previous boss,” Mori opened his eyes. “But I saw it. I saw her bloodlust.” 

“Even though I once put in a deadly dose of heroine in her coffee once she walked further with no after effects. Not even a single sign of her being tired or unconscious,” Mori smiled bitterly. “And then with a certain member of the mafia that I sent to her house. He returned with a missing arm and missing half a gallon of blood.” 

“Don’t tell me you were the man who sent that assassin to us?” Natsu asked, her hands trembling. 

Mori smiled. “Of course I did. And I’m sure from the look of your face that even you knew that your sister is far from human at this point.” 

That is true. Her face was dark, her eyes were glowing and her ability had activated at 50% leaving her with a cold for days. She still went to work. 

“I’m certain that she remembered absolutely nothing. But you knew everything. You held it against yourself and did not say a single word about it. Which is why I found it amusing when Akutagawa-kun reported that Higuchi-kun was sick, she wouldn’t get down so easily without even trying to leave a few blood splatters.” 

“I could only assume that the ability to erase memories didn’t have a lasting effect on Higuchi-san which ended with her having a second personality,” Ranpo eventually said, waving the file in front of Natsu’s face. “When she is unconscious she is back being Natsuko but when awake she is mafioso Ichiyou.” 

Natsu remained silent. Her eyes got a bit glossy before she raised her head up. “Even so…! I love my sister with all my heart! I don’t care if the Yakuza is looking for her, I don’t care if the mafia wants her dead or the agency! I only care about my older sister being safe!” 

“Which is why we will help you,” Ranpo interrupted. His green eyes shining a bit, showing concern for the case. “We all know you care about her. We all know that you knew nothing until now and pieced things together. You didn’t tamper with evidence nor did you even attempt to hide anything. You genuinely care for her.” 

Tears streamed down Natsu’s face. Even though they were tears her eyes shined with concern. 

“But...how will you help her? If she figured out that not only the executive but the Boss are meddling in with the Yakuza..” Natsu has blood come from her palms. “Then who knows what will happen to her.” 

Chuuya remained silent for a while. His eyes had nothing but that one emotion called anger. 

“I will reassure you that we will do whatever we can to protect you and your sister,” Fukuzawa eventually said, making sure Natsu’s attention was shifting to someone else. “Higuchi Natsuko left the Yakuza together with her little sister all thanks to her guardian, Hans Christian Andersen, but now that the Yakuza want her back leading to this painful revelation we cannot allow such a thing any further.” 

A gloved hand is raised. “I want to ask one thing though.” 

“Go ahead, Chuuya,” Mori smiled, having the executive give a tiny bow. 

“For what reason would they not only hurt her but also comatose her if they want her back so much?” 

Natsu shrugged weakly. “I’m unaware, sir. I only know that a third of the yakuza are against any type of unnecessary violence to Onee-sama. But a few hundred still find it alright to attack her.” 

Chuuya pondered over those words, not at all noticing the shaking form of the young yakuza. 

“There is something rather unclear actually,” Kyōuka finally decided to say. Everyone turned to her. “How much value is Higuchi to the yakuza next to her being the next heir.” 

“I only heard legends but I did hear that she killed thirty-five people when she was five.” 

—everyone became silent. The count did not matter to them, thirty-five is nothing but at age five!??

“..!!” Kyōuka remained standing there, letting Higuchi’s words from that time sink in. 

_“I have been ready to get killed ever since I got this job.”_

Dazai stood up, his height towering over her. “Natsu-chan, thank you very much for telling us the whole truth. Now as promised if you gave us information you are allowed to come with us to help investigating. I’m sure that Chuuya would love to hear some progress!” 

The tiny executive didn’t say anything. Natsu only followed the detectives before something came up. “You could go to aunt Kirino. I can give you the address.” 

“That would be appreciated,” Mori smiled, accepting the paper and also —keys? 

“Aunt Kirino has a secret way to accept former or current yakuza members in her house. Drop the keys on the floor near the door and knock how many people you are with,” Natsu explained, making the boss nod in confirmation. 

Fukuzawa also stood up to leave after giving a nod of consent to also come along. 

Leaving only Chuuya with his thoughts. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Ten years ago—Branch Yakuza headquarters

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

_The cold snow fell that day as Natsuko walked towards her shed. She had just finished her mission in Tokyo making sure some wannabe gangsters didn’t smeer dirt on their name. Well, not that it already is dirty._

_She had already adjusted to the cold by now. Even though Nakarai and Sawako will scold her for not wearing a scarf she knows that it will not affect her. She had just taken Dissociative Drugs, adding with her ability and she could practically be immune to ability users with separation of the human body. If she could also finally take in Methamphetamine then maybe father will smile at her._

_Her nose is a rosy red color, her gloves hands already freezing under the cold feeling. It didn’t help much that she wears black shorts with a white dress shirt and black jacket. Her combat boots are still cracking with electricity. Maybe she should wear that type of underwear that mother wears for Isamu-sama. Maybe if she would wear that as well then maybe she would get father’s attention._

_Ah, maybe she should wear absolutely nothing to make him look at her—._

_“What is this? A young girl walking in the cold? Only day one and I’m met with a sight for sore eyes,” a man with blue eyes and blue hair. She squinted her eyes to the unique color._ Did he dye his hair? _She didn’t think much of it. “What are you doing here, m’lady?”_

_“Just going back to my shed,” Natsuko answered, her red eyes looking him up and down. He wears rather formal attire once that comes from Europe. Not only that but his accent is rather strange, like strained but at the same time also very good._

_His blue eyes frowned at her knees which are a bit bloodied from training. “A shed for the oyabun’s daughter? I doubt that.”_

_“I see. So you find it unbelievable. In that case that is your opinion.”_

_“It’s no longer an opinion if it is a fact.”_

_Natsuko rubbed her eyes a bit, the drugs finally stopped working. She should go back to the shed. “Alright. If it is a fact then it is a fact. Now please leave, I need to go to the shed.”_

_“I heard that the oyabun’s daughter is an alcoholic slut according to your mother. But to me it seems like she had too much to drink to even think,” the man said, going down to her level. Placing his warm hand on her forehead, he took in her temperature. She didn’t flinch. “And you have a cold. I have a cottage not that far from the main house. You are going to rest there.”_

_“Unnecarry. I should go back to the shed and train—,” she didn’t finish when he scooped her up in his arms. She didn’t react other than a light flinch. “—what are you doing?”_

_“You are going to rest.”_

_“Do you even know who I am? I don’t need any rest.”_

_“Lies. You are shaking, a fever and also very cold,” the man began to walk._

_Natsuko frowned. “Who are you even..?”_

_“The name is Hans Christian Andersen,” the man introduced himself. “And I’m going to become one of the greatest in history. Over ten years my first book will come out.”_

_Natsuko blinked. “So much for a twenty year old.”_

_“You can do a lot once you are twenty!”_

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Three months later—Hiroshima 

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

  
  


_Sawako’s cold hazel eyes glared at the mess in front of her. Six burned bodies, all former Yakuza members had been burned to the ground. Adjusting her latex gloves, the doctor turned to the six year old Homura. “As suspected. They are targeted by loan sharks.”_

_Hiroshima was founded in 1598 as a castle town on the Ōta River delta. Following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Hiroshima rapidly transformed into a major urban center and industrial hub. In 1889, Hiroshima officially gained city status. The city was a center of military activities during the imperial era, playing significant roles such as in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Russo-Japanese War, and the two world wars. Hiroshima is best remembered as the first city targeted by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) dropped the atomic bomb "Little Boy" on the city at 8:15 a.m. on August 6, 1945. Most of the city was destroyed, and by the end of the year 90,000–166,000 had died as a result of the blast and its effects. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) serves as a memorial of the bombing._

_Since being rebuilt after the war, Hiroshima has become the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan._

_Homura tilted her head to the side, wearing her mask that holds the sign of the White Ones. Her hair falling to the side of her face. “What are loan sharks?”_

_“A bunch of cowards and two-sided assholes.”_

_The sound of pages turning made them look towards the little girl sitting there. Her long blonde hair had been washed clean and her old gloves had been replaced with new ones. Her knees are more hidden thanks to a pair of warm stockings, adding also new combat boots. “A loan shark can be a person within a personal or professional network offering to provide loans at high interest rates. They may be found in under-banked neighborhoods, on the internet, or through personal networks. Their funds are usually from unidentified sources, and they work for personal businesses or unregistered entities.”_

_“Loan sharks do not require background checks or credit reports. They will lend large sums of money with the intention of gaining high levels of interest in a short time. Loans from loan sharks charge interest rates far above any regulated rate. For example, a loan shark might lend ¥10,000 to a person with the provision that ¥20,000 be repaid within 30 days. These lenders may also often call on the debt to be repaid at any time, using violence as a means of forcing repayment.” Closing the book, Natsuko turned to the two girls. “In most cases business dealings with a loan shark are illegal; it is best to seek other alternatives.”_

_Homura gagged, sounding more like a cat trying to give a tiny meow. “That sounds horrible!”_

_“It is, yes,” Natsuko tossed the book to Sawako who opened a portal to store it in. “Page one-hundred and twenty-three.”_

_“Got it,” Sawako sighed. “What were you reading anyway?”_

_Natsuko only walked towards one of the corpses. “Nothing much. Just a really nice book.”_

_The region where Hiroshima stands today was originally a small fishing village along the shores of Hiroshima Bay. From the 12th century, the village was rather prosperous and was economically attached to a Zen Buddhist temple called Mitaki-Ji. This new prosperity was partly caused by the increase of trade with the rest of Japan under the auspices of the Taira clan._

_Hiroshima was established on the delta coastline of the Seto Inland Sea in 1588 by powerful warlord Mōri Terumoto. Hiroshima Castle was quickly built, and in 1593 Mōri moved in. Terumoto was on the losing side at the Battle of Sekigahara. The winner of the battle, Tokugawa Ieyasu, deprived Mōri Terumoto of most of his fiefs, including Hiroshima and gave Aki Province to Masanori Fukushima, a daimyō who had supported Tokugawa. From 1619 until 1871, Hiroshima was ruled by the Asano clan._

_After the Han was abolished in 1871, the city became the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture. Hiroshima became a major urban center during the imperial period, as the Japanese economy shifted from primarily rural to urban industries. During the 1870s, one of the seven government-sponsored English language schools was established in Hiroshima. Ujina Harbor was constructed through the efforts of Hiroshima Governor Sadaaki Senda in the 1880s, allowing Hiroshima to become an important port city._

_The San'yō Railway was extended to Hiroshima in 1894, and a rail line from the main station to the harbor was constructed for military transportation during the First Sino-Japanese War. During that war, the Japanese government moved temporarily to Hiroshima, and Emperor Meiji maintained his headquarters at Hiroshima Castle from September 15, 1894, to April 27, 1895. The significance of Hiroshima for the Japanese government can be discerned from the fact that the first round of talks between Chinese and Japanese representatives to end the Sino-Japanese War was held in Hiroshima, from February 1 to February 4, 1895. New industrial plants, including cotton mills, were established in Hiroshima in the late 19th century. Further industrialization in Hiroshima was stimulated during the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, which required development and production of military supplies. The Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall was constructed in 1915 as a center for trade and exhibition of new products. Later, its name was changed to Hiroshima Prefectural Product Exhibition Hall, and again to Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall._

_During World War I, Hiroshima became a focal point of military activity, as the Japanese government entered the war on the Allied side. About 500 German prisoners of war were held on Ninoshima Island in Hiroshima Bay. The growth of Hiroshima as a city continued after the First World War, as the city now attracted the attention of the Catholic Church, and on May 4, 1923, and Apostolic Vicar was appointed for that city._

  
  
  


_Sawako frowned. “It’s from that doctor, Andersen right? That one that seeks tragedies that help others with mental health?”_

_“Are you perhaps afraid that he will take me away?” Natsuko asked, her voice sharpening as she glared towards her first cousin._

_Homura shivered while Sawako glared back at her. “Like hell I am!”_

_“Of course you aren’t,” Natsuko sighed, motioning her hand to get a bat from another yakuza member. “You are the Horror Doctor. Nothing more, nothing less.”_

_She raised the bat and swung down to the corpse. Opening up their ash filled stomach._

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Five days later—Yokohama city. 

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

  
  


_“Andersen? What is this?” Natsuko asked from the man’s shoulders. Both are now in the city where the Port Mafia had last made their debut, or as the report told her. She isn’t really trusting Homura with reports these days._

_Ellen, standing there next to the two, also felt her eye twitch in annoyance at how carefree the man is even though he needs to work on his manuscript. However the man thought it was a good idea to mess around, like always._

_“This is a apartment. Once I have officially adopted you your journey to humanity begins,” Andersen answers, his hands holding her ankles tight even though he must know that she can just do a backflip and land on her feet._

_“What humanity?” Natsuko tilted her head, a look of confusion on her face._

_The Danish author smiled. “You wished on your birthday to become human, correct?”_

_“Yeah.”_

_“Then I shall make that dream come true.”_

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


______________________________________

**OC CHARACTER STATUS**

  * Ariyoshi Sawako: 21 years old 
  * Natsuo Kirino: 39 years old 
  * Yukio Mishima: 22 years old 
  * Yasunari Kawabata: 20 years old 
  * Higuchi Natsuko (Ichiyou): 20 years old 
  * Fumiko Enchi: 19 years old 
  * Aritsu Homura: 17 years old 
  * Higuchi Natsu: 15 years old 
  * Hans Christian Andersen: 45 years old 
  * Tōsui Nakarai: 50 years old 




	8. The Snake And The Serial Killer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally some medicine is provided and also the meeting between Mori, Fukuzawa and Kirino finally begin

  
  


The screen flickered a few times, the light illuminated by her glasses. Her dark green hair pulled up in a bun and her strange golden eyes glaring viciously at the video of a rat being eaten by a snake. A cobra snake. 

_ —Monsters like you don’t deserve to be in this world!  _

_ —How dare you come anywhere near us!  _

_ —Have you no shame in showing yourself to us?!  _

Her fingers slip past the plastic of the bag to get her chips. The crunch echoing through the empty room. Her eyes strained when the poison got in the mouse; the video was getting boring now. 

_ —The Yakuza would never accept anyone like you!  _

_ —WOW, you really have nice legs! What would happen if I slit them open?  _

_ —How does it feel to have my hard cock in you, you dirty slut?  _

A knock made her turn around towards the door. Pausing the video she stood up from her chair, her bare feet tapping against the warm floorboard. Her tongue stuck out a bit, a slit one. Her blue tank top with her red shorts made it more visible on her tiny scales. Scales under the human skin. 

She takes a giant shirt and puts it on. Grabbing the handle, she opened it. 

“Hello,  **Hitomi-chan~!** ” 

Standing there is none other than Natsuo Kirino and two older and more taller men. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Three hours before meeting Kirino—Yokohama

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

The room fell in silence as Chuuya explained everything; from Higuchi being part of the yakuza to how a whole entire witch hunt had begun to catch her. All while Tachihara still held onto her trembling hand, her nails piercing his skin. But he didn’t care. He only couldn’t speak as Chuuya finished his last piece of information. 

Gin stayed silent as she let those pieces of information be recorded in her head.  _ Higuchi knew that she would die more than anything else and used them to her advantage.  _

That stubborn persona, that determined look and those eyes that show her loyalty to them was all nothing but a mask she wore to kill herself. A suicide is comical but homicide by either getting fired or getting caught up in enemy territory. Which meant that at that time with the Armed Detective Agency and how she got choked, that was also part of her plan?! 

Hirotsu didn’t respond as he looked out the window. His thoughts are spinning everywhere to find those “obvious but less noticeable” statements that she left behind. 

The only one not able to think is Akutagawa who had listened to everything his superior had told them. Everything was a farce. A manuscript that she wrote and everyone played a very direct role. Even the boss played a role in her play. 

He coughed a few times in his hand after he turned around to leave. He  _ needed  _ to clean his head a bit. 

“You know, all of this is kinda cute,” the doctor said, walking in the room. Her hair is tied up in a ponytail thanks to a giant white bow that kinda looks like bunny ears almost. Her fingers are patched up and she is limping a bit. “Now that everyone knows I can finally call her by her real name without getting stared at.” 

“You were the one who brought Higuchi to her aunt,” Chuuya didn’t ask but confirmed making the doctor smile. 

“Aww, you remember! Now that all of you know that Natsuko is a good actress might as well go with the flow and play along~!” 

“Why would we do that?” Chuuya demanded, his eyes glaring daggers at the woman. 

“Because you care for her don’t you?” 

“I don’t care for someone who betrayed the mafia—!” 

“Betrayed? I’m sorry but Natsuko really did care for the mafia. It was the only thing she talked about,” the woman pouted, seemingly annoyed by everything. “It was always “I need to make sure the Black Lizards got their reports” or “I’m not sure which tea Akutagawa-senpai likes” and not to forget the worst of the worst;  _ I wonder or I can actually have fun without annoying any of them _ . Honestly it was so annoying!” 

Chuuya felt his hands turn into fists.  _ Higuchi….what was your goal after you joined us?  _

The woman however answered that for him. “I still found it funny how after so many speeches she gave me how she is using the Port Mafia for her plan to die she never once finished them. Like that one scene with the bathroom where  _ Akutagawa Gin sneaked up behind her with a knife to practice and how the rest of the Black Lizards warned her that she has no authority over them without proving she is worth it,  _ Ah, she completely failed that.” 

Gin felt sweat go down her face. She even knew that would happen? What else? 

“Although the one where  _ Gin went out to get clothes and was getting a love letter from the Armed Detective Agencies hacker  _ was completely unknown to her. Guess she didn’t figure that one out,” the woman hummed in slight concentration, possibly thinking of the said consequences of the act. 

Tachihara stood up. “So the whole Akutagawa would be kidnapped, she figured that one too?!” 

“I mean, seeing how I was the one who gave such information then yeah!” The woman smiled innocently, not at all intimidated by the anger coming from Akutagawa. 

“You…!” 

The woman stopped smiling and gave a very eerie smirk. “Don’t get angry, Ryuunosuke. Natsuko knew that you would be captured eventually, her plan to distract the boss for the location to be sent out was part of  **my** plan.” 

The Rabid Dog narrowed his eyes to her. “Who are you to dare and give such a location away, only for me to get rescued?!” 

“Nope!” Her smirk vanished for a smile. “That wasn’t part of the plan. That was  **Ichiyou being her useless self** .” 

“Her personality disorder kicked in,” Chuuya began to theorize. “And her determination to save him was what ruined the plan, right?” 

“That’s right. For someone so tiny you certainly have a big brain,” the woman teased. 

Akutagawa gritted his teeth. “Who are you even?” 

The woman turned to him, a smile on her face while removing her jacket, showing a tattoo on her shoulder. “My name is Ariyoshi Sawako, I’m the Yakuza’s family doctor.” 

The room fell in shock and disbelief. The doctor however continued. “You can just call me Sawako, you know. I’m not really a fan of the whole being respectful gimmick. I like to go straight to the fun~!” 

“Did you do this to her?” Chuuya demanded, his ability slowly activating. 

Sawako only gives a deadpan look. “I broke my spine you know. Was it not for my ability then I would have died, you know. I could always tell you how she stood in front of me as Enchi-Chan tried to rip off my legs.” 

Chuuya turned to Higuchi who was still unconscious.  _ Did she protect her because she felt sorry? _

It wasn’t uncommon for Higuchi to apologize for something that involved being nosy—which must have been part of her script as well—so for him to find out that he protected this woman somehow didn’t surprise him. 

Yet at the same time it did. 

“What is she to you?” Hirotsu asked, finally. 

“She is my first cousin,” Sawako answered, putting on her coat. “I am her bodyguard, her loyal right hand and of course the one that knows about Andersen then even Natsu. I also know that she is a Singularity.” 

“Wait!” Chuuya felt his body go cold. “What do you mean singularity?” 

Sawako cocked her head to the side with an innocent smile. “Oh? Didn’t you know? Natsuko was experimented on and a second ability had been implemented in her body.” 

Now the Port Mafia members couldn’t help but turn to Higuchi. Her hair is now clean and is shining more than usual, her skin is having more light and her chest is rising up and down more relaxed and not tense. 

Is that why they tried to take her back? 

They want to go further? 

“I’m glad all of you are now aware but..” Sawako’s eyes held no light, only a demon glaring with anger at the condition her cousin is in “...hurt Natsuko and I will eat you.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


The road to Osaka was a rather long one, but neither men spoke. 

Osaka was traditionally considered Japan's economic hub. By the Kofun period (300–538) it had developed into an important regional port, and in the 7th and 8th centuries, it served briefly as the imperial capital. Osaka continued to flourish during the Edo period (1603–1867) and became known as a center of Japanese culture. Following the Meiji Restoration, Osaka greatly expanded in size and underwent rapid industrialization. In 1889, Osaka was officially established as a municipality. Today, Osaka is a major financial center of Japan. It is home to the Osaka Securities Exchange as well as the multinational electronics corporations Panasonic and Sharp. Famous landmarks in Osaka include Osaka Castle - which played a pivotal role in the Siege of Osaka - and Shitennō-ji - the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan.

Some of the earliest signs of human habitation in the Osaka area at the Morinomiya ruins comprise shell mounds, sea oysters and buried human skeletons from the 6th–5th centuries BC. It is believed that what is today the Uehonmachi area consisted of a peninsula with an inland sea in the east. During the Yayoi period, permanent habitation on the plains grew as rice farming became popular. By the Kofun period, Osaka developed into a hub port connecting the region to the western part of Japan. The large numbers of increasingly larger tomb mounds found in the plains of Osaka are seen as evidence of political-power concentration, leading to the formation of a state.

The modern municipality was established[18] in 1889 by government ordinance, with an initial area of 15 square kilometres (6 sq mi), overlapping today's Chūō and Nishi wards. Later, the city went through three major expansions to reach its current size of 223 square kilometres (86 sq mi). Osaka was the industrial center most clearly defined in the development of capitalism in Japan. It became known as the "Manchester of the Orient". 

The rapid industrialization attracted many Korean immigrants, who set up a life apart for themselves. The political system was pluralistic, with a strong emphasis on promoting industrialization and modernization. Literacy was high and the educational system expanded rapidly, producing a middle class with a taste for literature and a willingness to support the arts. In 1927, General Motors operated a factory called Osaka Assembly until 1941, manufacturing Chevrolet, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Buick vehicles, operated and staffed by Japanese workers and managers. In the nearby city of Ikeda in Osaka Prefecture is the headquarters office of Daihatsu, one of Japan's oldest automobile manufacturers.

Like its European and American counterparts, Osaka displayed slums, unemployment, and poverty. In Japan it was here that the municipal government first introduced a comprehensive system of poverty relief, copied in part from British models. Osaka policymakers stressed the importance of family formation and mutual assistance as the best way to combat poverty. This minimized the cost of welfare programs.

During World War II, Osaka came under air attacks in 1945 by the United States Army Air Forces as part of the air raids on Japan. On March 13, 1945, a total of 329 Boeing B-29 Superfortress heavy bombers took part in the raid against Osaka. According to an American prisoner of war who was held in the city, the air raid took almost the entire night and destroyed 25 square miles (65 km2) of the city. The U.S. bombed the city again twice in June 1945 and again on August 14, a day before Japan's surrender.

And exactly seventeen years ago, a cold murder had happened. All that was known about the victims is that they are around their twenties, their last name forgotten by society, their husbands and families being assholes and their bodies chopped in in tiny pieces and laid in a graveyard. No fingerprints, no evidence not even one piece of DNA left for anyone to determine. Fukuzawa had asked Ranpo to solve the case for him only for him to be shocked to know that even he couldn’t solve it. 

It is a cold case...one that haunted Osaka for the last seventeen years. 

“What are you going to do with Higuchi?” Fukuzawa eventually asked, ruining the tense atmosphere. 

Mori hummed in response. “What do you mean?” 

“Don’t play dumb with me, Mori-sensei. You will exploit her to your every need, don’t you?” 

The boss only sighed, clearly he had no intentions of having this conversation. “I’m not going to exploit her for your information. There is no need to exploit someone who is too broken to be exploited.” 

Fukuzawa raised his eyebrow. “What do you mean?” 

Mori sighed again, acting like a teenager. “I thought you were smart, clearly I thought wrong, Fukuzawa-dono,” he turned his head to him, a sharp look in his eyes. 

“There is no need for me to use her. She had already used me and I’m impressed with that. She didn’t betray the Port Mafia nor the Yakuza. The yakuza—for seventy-five percent—don’t want her to get anywhere near the Oyabun, and the Port Mafia doesn’t want to see her hurt. What my way of using her if I myself don’t want to hurt her either.” 

“You care?” 

Mori dramatically placed his gloved hand on his chest, his face a deadpan. “I might be a boss of the Port Mafia but deep down I’m still a doctor. I know when I see a patient in need.” 

Fukuzawa didn’t believe those words at all. 

“Besides,” Mori turned away from him to look at the glass of wine that Kouyou is giving him. “She has lots of potential in my opinion.” 

“You are going to train her?” Fukuzawa asked, accepting the tiny cup of sake from Golden Demon. 

Mori shakes his head. “No. There is no need to train someone who already has the physical capacity to wield a sword  _ and  _ gun. Not only that but I’m certain that the yakuza members do care about her to give her hand to hand combat lessons. What she needs is someone to guide her.” 

Even though Hans Christian Andersen was a good guide, he had to go, leaving Higuchi in her distorted mind to plan everything to be a homicide victim. 

“You have someone in mind already?” Fukuzawa questioned. 

“Of course,” he smiled. A smile that screams scam. “Ozaki Kouyou and Nakahara Chuuya will become her new teachers.” 

“Oh, how so?” Fukuzawa questioned. 

“It’s simple,” Mori replied with a smirk. “I pulled some actual information about my little Yakuza woman and it appeared that her death rate isn’t the only amazing thing about her. Her sword technique—Ōtsugomori—is well known to be one of her more famous swords. I’m rather interested how she would handle being with Kouyou-kun’s Golden Demon.” 

“It’s been awhile since me and Higuchi-kun have talked. I scolded her for not properly killing her second hit,” Kouyou raised her hand to her mouth, giving a bit of a mocking smile. “She held it so improper I almost felt like teaching a child. It was honestly so cute how she looked at me with those eyes. However, behind that cute smile lies a god who could easily break.” 

“Which is why Chuuya will help her control the god in her,” Mori explained, his hand playing with his scalpel. “Rather Higuchi-kun will accept the help or not is not my concern, what is though is the fact how oblivious she is to her own health.” 

Fukuzawa pondered over those words. “How bad is she?” 

“Over fifty drugs in her body, her being clean for two years did not help her endurance to alcohol.” 

“Chuuya did say that she is a depressed drunk,” Kouyou added, her face forming into a smirk. “Apparently she acted like that one too I suppose?” 

Mori smiled, something that he rarely does without motive. “She got them all under her play. Chuuya, Tachihara, Akutagawa, Gin, Hirotsu and even the Armed Detective Agency played a critical role in her theater. I’m rather happy to say that I am glad to have her with us.” 

Those words hung in the air for a bit until the car stopped. Kaji walked out and opened the car door for the three adults and Elise. Looking at the tall apartment, the bomber takes out the address. “Apparently this is the place where Higuchi’s aunt lives. On the top floor…” 

“The exact same place where the last victim of the Graveyard Serial Killer was last seen,” Fukuzawa added, making Mōri nod. 

The adults walked up the stairs towards the top floor. None of them tired or exhausted. Once at the door, Mōri remembered the words that Natsu told him. 

The key dropped on the floor. It echoed through the hallways. Knocking four times, Mōri spoke. “Good day, miss. We are part of the Port Mafia and the president of the Armed Detective Agency. We are here because of your niece, Higuchi Natsuko.” 

“……..”

Silence answered. Kouyou watched how Elise held onto her sleeve as a creak was heard. Loud footsteps followed which made the four adults jump a bit. 

And then the door opened. 

Hazel eyes peaked before it finally opened showing an abused woman with blonde hair—shining like the light. Her smile reaches her eyes, her hands are holding onto the door showing her dirty yukata which is a bit open revealing more bandages. 

“Good day, my name is Natsuo Kirino. I’m Natsuko’s aunt,” Kirino said, her eyes boring straight into the eyes of Mōri. 

“I see. Your niece is currently in the hospital. She was pretty beat up thanks to you putting back her memories,” Mori replied. 

Kirino tilted her head to the side. “I see. Enchi-chan must have heard that her step-sister is back and went ahead and disposed of her. How sad.” 

Kajii flinched at her words. She already knew about that and yet did nothing as her niece is now suffering. Sure Kajii never once had looked at the woman’s appearance unless he counted that one time. 

Kirino looked them all in the eye before stepping aside. “ **Come inside** .” 

Mori watched the woman for a second before stepping inside with Fukuzawa following right behind. Kajii and Kouyou followed inside as well, only Elise shivering at the sight of the woman. 

“Who are you?” Kirino questioned, a smile still on her face. 

“My name is Elise. I’m Rintarou’s ability—!!” 

_ Slash. Slash.  _

Elise disappeared. Kirino smiling at the remaining pieces of the little girl. 

“ _ Dance for me, Elise-chan. _ ” 

  
  
  
  


Mori watched the woman walk into the kitchen and grab different cups; her voice hummed a song. A song so beautiful that he almost forgot who stood in front of him. Reminding him of that one time with the blonde girl. 

  
  
  


_ Mōri looked over the many different dresses, Elise cutely puffing her cheeks out in annoyance as she had to wait for him, again, to buy whatever ridiculous outfit he wanted her to wear.  _

_ “garasu mado wo nozoku _

_ sono ushiro sugata ga _

_ nentou wo rou _

_ yoori hakanaku de”  _

_ A soft voice brought him out of his search, it did the same to Elise as well because the girl stopped pulling on his lab coat. The two followed the voice towards a rack behind them.  _

_ “sukoshi iki wo tomeru _

_ gekkou ga kirameku _

_ ainai ni _

_ boku wa tada warau”  _

_ Standing there with her own bag is Higuchi Ichiyou. Her hair is down revealing the beautiful golden locks that frame her face, her plum colored lips drawn to a line looking over a pair of hairpins. She wears a blue mini dress with white lilies on them. She heaved a sigh at some point.  _

_ “Where did Natsu even get this song?”  _

  
  
  
  


“Here you go.” Kirino’s voice made him come back to reality. The tea in front of him looked disorientated—not at all delicious or amazing. When he glanced at her, he saw her smile. A cold and calculated smile. 

“Natsuko-chan is a very brave girl. I can’t let a few mafioso hurt her,” Kirino smiled as she sat down opposite of the two men. The sight of Kouyou and Kajii completely forgotten as she set her eyes to the two men who held more power. “Even a detective agency like yours will not hurt her, got it?” 

Fukuzawa places his tea in front of him. “We are not here to start a fight nor are we here to fight Natsuko in any shape or form.” 

Kirino remained silent until she turned to the executive and bomber. “What about you?” 

Her voice is kind but her eyes show poison. Her kind expression not even trying to hide her disdain as she addressed them so casually, yet rather angry too. As if she had no intentions of having them with her. 

“I want to train her,” Kouyou replies. “I understand that her sword skills were once beyond anyone’s physical capacity, but that was before she was being rescued by Andersen-san.” 

Kirino however didn’t believe it. “How do I know you will not hurt her even more?”

“That’s why we are here,” Mori answered, having the woman turn to him in an almost robotic fashion. “Technically speaking we’re her mother figure, correct? Considering that Andersen-san is not here it’s only natural that we would be granted permission from you.” 

The woman stayed silent. Her eyes blinked three times before she tilted her head. “What are you doing?” 

Mori smiled at her. “Whatever do you mean?” 

Kirino takes a sip of her tea. She spit it out the next second which ended on Mori’s face. Kouyou and Kajii raised themselves but their boss held his hand to them; a sign for them to stop. 

“What was that for?” Fukuzawa questioned. While on the outside he looks ready to kill on the inside he is holding in his laughter. 

“Sorry, I just thought that he was brain dead.” Kirino chuckled, smiling kindly at the two. “To be called a mother is rather insulting.”

Mori cleaned his face with a handerknive. “Then what do you personally think of Higuchi-kun?” 

The air changed. Kajii shivered,  _ When did the air change?  _

Apparently he wasn’t the only one. Mori held onto his scalpel protectively all while Fukuzawa and Kouyou gripped their swords. 

“Hihihihi…!!” She laughed in a sickly kind tone. “What is she to me? Isn’t that already obvious?” 

“ _ I  _ **_loVe_ ** _ heR  _ **_so_ ** _ mUcH _ **_~~_ ** _!! _ ” 

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Currently—Osaka: Hitomi’s apartment. 

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

  
  


And as such—the three are now here. 

“So you want to have my poison to heal Natsuko-dono?” Hitomi demanded, her eyes wide in shock as the three adults are now in her living room. 

Kouyou and Kajii are outside, still feeling uneasy thanks to the woman. Luckily enough the spit by Mori and the lone wolf Fukuzawa followed her towards the overheated living room. 

The girl in front of them has many body modifications. Earrings by her right ear, piercings by her lip and six tattoos on her back. Not only that but the room is hot, so hot that they almost wanted to remove their clothes. Luckily enough, the woman in front of them had removed her yukata. 

“Take off your clothes if you feel uncomfortable. I will keep Hitomi-chan in check if she acts perverted,” the half naked Kirino said as she held a knife by the girl’s neck. 

“ **Who do you think I am?!** ” Hitomi cried out in anger and fear. 

Kirino smiled as Mori placed his coat by the hanger. “And you are, miss?” 

“Kanehara Hitomi,” the girl introduced, her snake tongue coming out. The thin muscle making Fukuzawa reminds himself how Atsushi sometimes shows his tiger ears. “I am a information hacker for Rokumeikan.” 

Fukuzawa raised his eyebrow. “Rokumeikan?” 

“We are an independent hacking organization that works for the yakuza but also the government for information here is Osaka. But not many come here again because they no longer find it important to get information from a high school dropout,” Hitomi answered, a frown on her face. Her eyebrows with piercings not at all sweaty. “But that is their problem.” 

Fukuzawa glanced away.  _ That is what Kunikida said when he was dropping out of college _ . 

Hitomi put her hands on her hips. “At any rate. Why do you need my poison anyway?” 

“It’s the only medicine that can stop the  _ Bullet of False Fortunes _ .” 

That seemed to make Hitomi stutter. “Excuse me?! Are you telling me that Natsuko-dono got shot by…!” 

Kirino smiled. “Yep. And we want your poison.” 

Fukuzawa and Mori waited for the girl to give it to them already. The heat got to them and their faces were becoming purple. Even Kirino is struggling to stand with this heat. 

Hitomi blinked before sighing. “As long as she is free I see no reason to not accept everything that you ask me.” The two watch how a green glow is surrounding her. 

“Ability:  **Snakes And Earrings** .”

Her soft skin turned into scales, her hands became gloves and her tongue hissed out of her mouth. 

The girl became a snake...half snake while Kirino grabbed a bottle and held it up to Hitomi’s mouth. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  
  


“Not even a single piece of evidence that Fumiko Enchi was there?” Hirotsu asked Dazai that afternoon as he walked towards Higuchi’s hospital room. 

“ _ Not even a single hair. The fight that she had with Higuchi had only left so many messes that the DNA mixed with the destruction became too hard for Ranpo to determine what exactly had happened. Not only that but..”  _ Dazai’s voice trailed off, causing Hirotsu to stop walking for a second. “ _ That bullet that was stuck in her body had poison in it. _ ” 

Hirotsu felt sweat go down his face. The weight of the situation became too close to death. “Is there a cure for her?” 

“ _ Mori-san and the president are now focusing on getting that medicine now. Apparently that gas is the reason she is now in a coma. It is made from a specific type of venom that numbs down a person’s body till they can no longer breath.”  _

Hirotsu quickened his pace to the room where Higuchi is residing now. Opening the door he walked towards her now not so bandaged body. Her hair is more blonde and less covered up by some type of cream, her skin is paler and she is too skinny to even be considered healthy. 

“When will the medicine arrive?” Hirotsu asked as he helplessly tried to do something with his superior. 

“ _ In about two hours. Try to keep her safe and update us if she is not breathing.”  _

The former executive hand up leaving Hirotsu to put it away. Removing his gloves, the old man placed it on her forehead.

“She is a bit hot, but nothing more,” he exhaled, relief washing over him as he sat down. 

Hirotsu looked over the woman in slight worry. His eyes wandering towards her still numbed legs who are hidden by the white blanket. Her hand is not trembling, making him worry more or whether she is awake or not. 

“To think I’m worrying over someone who had played the mafia like a game of chess,” Hirotsu sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. 

_ Beep. Beep. Beep.  _

Hirotsu watched how the machine continued to spike with every heartbeat yet it didn’t seem to convince him for some reason that she was alive. Raising his hand, he gently grabbed her frail hand which was warm as well. Her fingers trembled a bit in his hold but they slowly gripped his hand. 

Maybe he should talk to her. They do say that always works to keep them awake, right? Right? 

The only thing he could do is try. 

“Remember what I said?  _ If I were you, I would watch my back when an assassin comes behind me.  _ You already knew right? You knew but hid it from everyone,” Hirotsu sighed, thumb brushing her knuckles. 

“You were always so determined to protect Akutagawa-sama that you didn’t even look behind—no, you always looked behind you, didn’t you?” He felt his eyes slowly go to her neck where some bandages are. “You looked behind more than once.” 

_ She smiled at him as she waved to him. “Wish me luck!”  _

“You were always shining. No matter how many times you were pushed on the ground you managed to bring some light into those dark hallways,” he surprisingly felt tears go down his face. 

_ She trembled a bit as she raised her head. “My name is Higuchi Ichiyou. It is an honor to work with you!”  _

“You were a normal human being.” 

_ “Hirotsu-san,” Higuchi handed the file with trembling hands. “This is the warehouse that you are going to infiltrate.”  _

“A fragile yet determined woman who didn’t leave anyone behind.” 

_ “I know I can’t do anything to change the boss,” she turned to them with determination filling her brown eyes. “But I can’t stand here and do nothing!”  _

He held onto her right. “Don’t leave all that behind for our sake.” 

_ “It’s my job to be here, Hirotsu-san”  _

“Just wake up,  _ Ichiyou _ .” 

  
  
  
  
  
  


She turned to him. 

Hirotsu flinched when he sensed movements. He turned to see her head moving towards him. Her eyes screwed shut and her brows furrowed together. She gives a tight squeeze, which was more than enough to make him sigh in relief. 

The sound of the door opening caught him by surprise. As did Higuchi because she tired back towards the ceiling. Hirotsu looked up to see none other than Nakahara Chuuya walk in with Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. Bowing to them both, the older mafioso sat back down in his seat. 

“How is she?” Chuuya asked, his eyes immediately wandering to her monitor. 

The shake of his head made both of them flinch. “She is close to death.” 

“What?!” Akutagawa gasped, his breath hitching as he looked towards his assistant. 

“That bullet had been filled with a type of gas that can numb anyone until they can no longer breath,” Hirotsu answered, holding onto the railing of his superior’s hospital bed. “Boss is now looking for the medicine.” 

Chuuya went quiet. His eyes looked at the man before turning to the blonde yakuza. “How has she been so far?” 

Hirotsu didn’t answer immediately as Chuuya would have expected. Instead, he grabbed her hand. “Chuuya wants to talk to you, Ichiyou.” 

To everyone’s surprise, Higuchi turned towards Hirotsu. Her face distorted into something as close to concentration. Both mafioso let out a breath of relief; Chuuya placed a hand on his chest while Akutagawa coughed in his elbow. 

“.......Chuu…..ya…” Higuchi mumbled, her voice rusted indicating her lack of water. 

Apparently Chuuya heard this. “Oi, someone bring in those tubes where she can drink from?” 

Akutagawa went to the mini kitchen that the hospital room had to bring in those instruments, quickly giving it to Hirotsu who filled the bag with the fresh new water. In the meantime Chuuya had taken the advice of Sawako to gently open her mouth when she moved her head. 

Putting his coat on the chair, Chuuya gently opened the blonde's mouth. Her teeth are clean but they don’t look strong enough for her to eat. Well, she has been asleep for two weeks now. 

He remembered how he had stayed by her side as she begged in her sleep. Even though he found it annoying at first he couldn’t seem to resist her urges when tears of blood began to spill, he had to watch as the nurse Sawako injected her with what he now knows as deadly drugs that should go nowhere near an unstable human. 

When Hirotsu handed him the tube Chuuya gently put it in her mouth. As if her brain had registered what just happened, the sounds of gulping are heard. The three men watch how Higuchi’s mindless body drinks the water like second nature while everything else in her body has stopped moving. When the bag was fully empty did Chuuya remove the tube and clean her mouth. 

“Akutagawa, give me that salve that I bought,” Chuuya ordered the Rabid Dog. The man grabbed the tiny object and handed it over towards the tiny man. 

Chuuya opened it with his gravity, removing his glove to make sure it isn’t stuck on him. Turning to the woman he smeared the soft salve on her lips. Feeling the dry lips of the woman felt like razor blades but Chuuya didn’t care;  _ He is now her caretaker.  _

“How long does it take for the medicine to be here?” Akutagawa turned to Hirotsu, resuming their conversation again. 

“In two hours.” He takes out his watch. “In that time the Armed Detective Agency already had enough evidence for us to have a brief overview of how those injuries got on Higuchi-kun, and the aftermath of it.” 

The phone rang, making both turn to Hirotsu again as he took out his phone. “Yes this is Hirotsu.” 

“!!” Hirotsu gasped harshly, gaining their attention once more. 

“Understood, we will be right there.” 

He shut off the phone and turned to them. “They found her legs.” 

“Then in that case things are getting done by those stupid detectives,” Chuuya comments. 

“They also have her aunt to testify.” 

  
  


|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


“I thank all of you for coming here today,” Fukuzawa announced as the last members of the mafia sat themselves on the last remaining seats. The auditorium was packed with mafia members and even some former detectives and police sergeants. 

“Today is a rather serious matter. A matter that will risk the lives of all of Japan.” 

The Black Lizards watched how the screen behind them turned into the picture of a young girl; golden blonde hair, amber eyes holding a katana. Next to her are two similar adult looking versions only one is male and the other is female. 

“Let us begin from the beginning,” Ranpo began, wearing his usual black rimmed glasses. “The victim in this case is Higuchi Natsuko—now known as Higuchi Ichiyou. She is born on May second, sharing the exact same birthday with her fifteen year younger sister. Her parents are Higuchi Isamu and Harada Osekai, who are both first cousins.” 

The room began to give light gasps, looks of disgusts and even some of pity for the young girl in the picture. Ranpo however continued further. 

“Natsuko was born as you would have suspected with a lot of side effects of the genetics being mixed with a relative, her life span only lasted for ten years.” The screen changed into a picture of different types of drugs. “However her parents wanted more than that of her so they forced her to do many types of drugs, overdosing their daughter until age five. When she said her first few words.” 

“ **I am the child of Takemikazuchi** .” 

The next picture showed Natsuko healthy without anything wrong next to her having crimson red eyes now and three different katana’s. “As many yakuza had claimed, a god stepped into her body one day and she became more healthy. Any type of wound that had been inflicted to her had been healed. And as such her parents began to use her more often. One of such was adding a new ability in her.” 

Tachihara raised his eyebrow at that. Should they really know this? Yes, yes they should. 

“This ability originated from Takemikazuchi. The ability to produce lightning combined with her ability to paralyze others basically became electricity,” Ranpo answered all the many mysteries. “And as such, she became the breadwinner of the family who gained so much fame and popularity that many yakuza families submit themselves to them. And they both took advantage of that.” 

The next picture is of Natsu and another woman with another man. They both looked around twenty years old while the fifteen year old girl is photoshopped next to them. “They all produced three children; Higuchi Natsu who is the closest to Natsuko is both birthdate and appearance wise, Fumiko Enchi who is part of the Fumiko industry a well known gang in Kyoto and lastly they produced their last child, who unofficially is incapable of even giving the same amount of damage as Natsuko has, is Tamonosuke Oriki. He is the child of a geisha.” 

The next picture showed all four children next to each other. “Despite the countless affairs the Fumiko and Tamonosuke family stayed in one place with the Higuchi family. Until another family became part of it; the Ariyoshi Family.” 

This time it showed the picture of the doctor. Surprisingly she is right next to Natsuko with a grin on her face. Natsuko however has an irritated expression. “The Ariyoshi family has a prodigy in their family known as Sawako. She gained the nickname the Horror Doctor through her many victims, each one being someone who stole money from the yakuza or had been a spy under the order of foreign organizations.” 

The next picture showed Natsuko and Sawako next to each other probably at the age of eleven. “Sawako is also the only member of the family who is far closer than anyone, even Natsu isn’t that close with her sister. And that all is because Sawako is the one that gives her the most desirable thing that she wants…

….the feeling of being human” 

The next picture showed Ichiyou instead of Natsuko, her hands holding onto a gun. “That feeling is most produced thanks to the persona named Ichiyou.” 

The picture got replaced again. This time with the face of a man. A man with blue hair, blue eyes and glasses wearing a white blazer, black pants and long lab coat. “However the feel of acceptance was really shown thanks through the help of this man. Hans Christian Andersen.” 

“His works are mostly tragedies but next to those his main inspiration was Natsuko. A girl with nothing but regret and tragedy that even he felt helpless to the act that god put her through, or as he had said,” Ranpo raised out a book. A book with the cover having a blonde mermaid on the front. 

“And this book alone gave me all the answers for this case.” 

Chuuya felt his anger boil over. All of this went under their noses? 

“The Port Mafia’s former boss had filled in the papers to buy Natsuko but that was held off the current Boss came into position,” Ranpo continued. “And as such her true freedom began in the hands of mister Andersen. However after this he had left her and went to Denmark, having her in the custody of the former Yakuza executioner Natsuo Kirino. Put under her care, Natsuko developed many drugs which she eventually became immune for. And in the end, her plan for the next stage of humanity began.” 

“Which was the Port Mafia.” The logo of the organization came finally onto the screen. “Her plan was simple on paper: get herself killed by a member or if more logical a rival gang like the Hunting Dogs or Armed Detective Agency.” 

The screen eventually showed Akutagawa and Higuchi next together. “But as stated by many, her admiration for him became too much for her goal to be achieved. As such, the yakuza became more aware of her existence in the mafia.” 

The picture changed into the crime scene of her impaled, battered and having no legs. Many gasped in horror. Chuuya felt a bubble of anger in the back of his mind, his ability almost activating was it not for Dazai placing his hand on the petite mafioso's shoulder. 

“This is the punishment she got from the yakuza she became free of. The same yakuza, whose members begged her to leave for the sake of her freedom, are now forced to hunt her down back towards the cage she had rotten in for years with the only ray of light being a handful of members,” Ranpo ended his presentation with his glasses now off, eyes looking at every single person in front of him. “Such a tragic tale had come to this.” 

  
  
  
  
  
  


And so the meeting had ended. The Black Lizards went to Higuchi’s hospital room together with Chuuya and Akutagawa. While most of their meetings had been over the past week filled with confusion and regret, this meeting was just them feeling pity. Pity for the girl that worked her life to sentence herself to death. 

A selfish thing to do to one's self when the people around her want her to live is what most would think, but the yakuza begged her to leave this world to be free. 

Their walk was silent until they reached the room. 

Gin opened the door, the rest followed her to find the alarming sight of a second person being here. 

Golden hair in a high ponytail, bandages on her face and wearing a white yukata. The woman turned to them with a smile. 

“Good day,  **Port Mafia** .” 

  
  
  



	9. A Little Chapter Of The Mystery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter on what the Armed Detective Agency is doing now while shit is going down in the hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter. Sorry 😣

  
  


Even though Ranpo is holding that presentation, back with the Armed Detective Agency they went to work faster than usual. 

After they found out that experiments were conducted on Higuchi to create a new type of ability user within the most powerful yakuza, they started having the government be put in this as well. Some rival gangs joined in too solely because they felt bad for the yakuza as well. As suspected, those without an ability were experimented on as well like Natsu for example who had absolutely nothing to do with the family until she was brought into this world thanks to a Yakuza member. 

As such Natsu gave them many places where the Higuchi family’s most dangerous hunting gang, The White Ones, would be most of the time. Apparently The White Ones are like the Black Lizards only more brutal. With ability users like the two men in the surveillance cameras and also the woman in the other surveillance camera who got hit by the electricity. And thanks to Ranpo’s Ultra Deduction they knew why she failed.   
  


**She wanted them to see her ability.**

Because of the curse—Real World—Higuchi’s eyesight was blurry but her hearing was ten times sharper than her eyes. She fought with whatever remaining strength she had left before being swooped away by Sawako towards Yokohama which was their downfall as both were being taken down by the current heir, Fumiko Enchi. Through this all, Dazai has been discussing lots of things with Ango. Atsushi and Kyōuka are now with Kunikida to find the other illegitimate child. Leaving only Kenji and Tanizaki to find the woman named Fumiko Enchi. 

Natsu, for that reason, stayed behind in the hospital to look over her sister, leaving only Tanizaki and Kenji to do their part of the case. 

“This is the place that Natsu told us about,” Tanizaki mumbled, looking at the convenience store with a sharp look. Sitting by the bench is a woman eating her junk food. Juicy burgers that look rather unhealthy for anyone. 

“Gangs do often go to convenience stores to buy food. Guess it isn’t just a comical trope,” Kenji smiled, his eyes shining with excitement. 

Tanizaki looked at the picture of the woman. Despite being Higuchi’s step sister they do look somewhat alike. Maybe she did body modifications like that Hitomi girl president talked about? 

“Excuse me, miss!” Kenji walked towards the woman. She has her hair tucked under her cap, mouth covered by a white mask and wears baggy clothes. “Could you help us find someone!” 

“Sure, my old man doesn’t need much from me anyway so I’m good for now,” she said as she threw away the plastic. 

Tanizaki watched how the woman walked towards them. Hands in her pocket. She doesn’t look the two in the eye but does turn to Kenji. “So, what is it that you needed?” 

“We are looking for this woman right here. She is related to a case. A very dangerous person. Have you seen her?” Tanizaki asked, showing the picture of Fumiko Enchi. The woman hummed. 

“I did see her actually. She pointed me here, I can show you where I last saw her.” 

Tanizaki smiled. “That would be much appreciated.” 

The two followed the woman. Maybe they could find the woman known as Fumiko Enchi and put Higuchi half too justice. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


“Ellen Gunhilde Hørup, she was a former Port Mafia member and Natsuko’s adoptive mother.” 

Ango didn’t question when Dazai placed his elbow on his head. Looking at the profile of the twenty year old woman Dazai whistled. “She looked so good. Wonder or she would have minded to commit a double suicide with me?” 

“She is dead, Dazai-kun,” Ango chided, not stopping filling in the codes to research more about the Danish woman. 

“True. Killed by the hands of her own daughter.” Dazai muttered as he turned away to sit on the couch. 

The two are now in Ango’s living room, the man being uncermonically awakened by the suicidal man. As such he barely had time to do anything related to brushing his hair or drinking coffee, being stuck with bed hair and nothing but a white tank top plus shorts to be the only thing he wears. 

“Have you seen her in the mafia somewhere?” Dazai asked, glancing at his former friend. 

“A few times. She helped me once translating a Italian puzzle, brought me coffee and was actually warming up curry for Odasaku sometimes,” Ango named all the things she has done, leaving Dazai stunned. 

“Wow, she must have been a ghost because he never mentioned this,” Dazai mumbled to himself. 

Ango used his mouse to click on a few files. “That is because she wasn’t really respected. Nobody knows why she took the job as a mafiaoso, they only know that she was Hirotsu-san’s assistant.” 

Dazai places his cheek on his palm. Now this is interesting. “He did mention that a few times that he had an assistant but she doesn’t have an ability.” 

“That’s because she doesn’t. No ability, no motive to be in the mafia, nothing. Almost like Higuchi-san  **she had no reason to be there** .” 

Dazai hummed to himself as Ango continued his search. 

“She is also very good in Russian, English and French. Had won gold in cycling and was friends with Mahatma Gandhi,” Ango listed everything. “She also was a dentist at some point.” 

“Man, I would have never done all of that in one day.” 

Ango turned towards his friend. 

“I think you should also know that she is very much the reason Higuchi is here.” 

  
  
  
  



	10. Fumiko Enchi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We meet Fumiko, the second child who came into the family. 
> 
> We also see good old Nakarai.   
> But what did Atsushi and Kyōuka see?

Shinjuku: The City Of The Yakuza and Geisha. 

In 1634, during the Edo period, as the outer moat of the Edo Castle was built, a number of temples and shrines moved to the Yotsuya area on the western edge of Shinjuku. In 1698, Naitō-Shinjuku had developed as a new (shin) station (shuku or juku) on the Kōshū Kaidō, one of the major highways of that era. Naitō was the family name of a daimyō whose mansion stood in the area; his land is now a public park, the Shinjuku Gyoen.

In 1920, the town of Naitō-Shinjuku, which comprised large parts of present-day Shinjuku (the neighbourhood, not the municipality), parts of Nishi-Shinjuku and Kabukichō was integrated into Tokyo City. Shinjuku began to develop into its current form after the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many skyscrapers.

The Tokyo air raids from May to August 1945 destroyed almost 90% of the buildings in the area in and around Shinjuku Station. The pre-war form of Shinjuku, and the rest of Tokyo, for that matter, was retained after the war because the roads and rails, damaged as they were, remained, and these formed the heart of the Shinjuku in the post-war construction. Only in Kabuki-cho was a grand reconstruction plan put into action. The present ward was established on March 15, 1947 with the merger of the former wards of Yotsuya, Ushigome, and Yodobashi. It served as part of the athletics 50 km walk and marathon course during the 1964 Summer Olympics. In 1991, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government moved from the Marunouchi district of Chiyoda to the current building in Shinjuku. (The Tokyo International Forum stands on the former site vacated by the government.)

Like the other special wards of Tokyo, Shinjuku has a status equivalent to that of a city. The current mayor is Kenichi Yoshizumi. The ward council (区議会, kugikai) consists of 38 elected members; the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeitō Party together currently hold a majority. The Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party are also represented together with four independents. Shinjuku's city office (区役所, kuyakusho) is located on the southeastern edge of Kabukichō.

Shinjuku is also the location of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. The governor's office, the metropolitan assembly chamber, and all administrative head offices are located in the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Technically, Shinjuku is therefore the prefectural capital of Tokyo; but according to a statement by the governor's office, Tokyo (the – as administrative unit: former – Tokyo City, the area of today's 23 special wards collectively) can usually be considered the capital of Tokyo (prefecture/"Metropolis") for geographical purposes. The Geographical Survey Institute (Kokudo Chiriin) names Tōkyō (the city) as capital of Tōkyō-to (the prefecture/"Metropolis"). 

This was also where Natsume Soseki—the only person who could stop the president and the Port mafia boss with a swing of his cane—once met a man who caught his attention just as much as Oda Sakunosuke. 

This is also where Tanizaki felt his blood run cold with how much deja vú he has gotten so far with the step-sisters. 

One minute he is in an alleyway and the other he is pinned on the wall with cards. Kenji is now paralyzed on the floor. 

“So she is still alive, huh? I thought all of that might have killed her but it seems not.” The woman glared at him. Her magenta eyes glaring dangerously at Tanizaki while Kenji is sleeping on the floor. 

“Why would you kill your own sister?” Tanizaki questioned, regretting it instantly when the woman threw a knife at him. It barely missed him. 

“Kill?! I barely killed her! She is still alive and kicking, crying and acting like a weak woman even though she got everything I ever wanted!” The woman—Fumiko Enchi, heir to the yakuza, Ability: Masks In The Waiting Years—shouted. Her orange—almost red—hair looking like a mane of a lion as her eyes showed malice. “And don’t even fucking dare say that she is my sister! I never liked her!” 

“So you tried to kill her!?” Tanizaki shouted, his eyes looking straight into hers. 

Fumiko glared at him. “Do you really think that I give a shit about her?” 

The illusionist glared at the girl. Is she really that powerful? Yes, yes she is. She sucker punched Kenji and hit pinned him fast enough; this is only a fraction of her power. An ability that is capable of doing so much. 

Adjusting her hair, Fumiko stalked towards him. “Listen here, you detective shithead, I don’t give two flying fucks about her condition!” 

“Then tell me,” Tanizaki struggled to hold in his anger. “What type of bullet did you shoot in her?” 

Fumiko tilted her head to the side before smirking. “You wanna know? Why?” 

“We already have the medicine but I need to know. That bullet has a gas that almost killed her. A gas that almost erased the life of someone who is worth something more then that.” Tanizaki finds himself looking down at the girl who held a knife to his neck. 

Fumiko stared at him before smirking. “What a cute look. Still, I heard some pretty good things. You are an illusionist that would have been perfect for the Port Mafia, more perfect then that bitch.” 

“I don’t associate with criminals. I also don’t associate with the yakuza who have become like dinosaurs: they went extinct and will never come back,” Tanizaki fired back, his eyes looking down at her. She is short. Almost as short as Naomi. 

Fumiko glared at him. Almost exactly how Higuchi did that time when she gunned him and Naomi down. “It’s because of those criminals that I became something that nobody would expect of me. I live for that life!” 

Tanizaki watched how Fumiko grabbed a card from her pocket. “And as such my blood is yakuza red.” 

Tanizaki tensed up when the card became a gun. “I do have to admit though, that if I wasn’t involved with this then everything would have been different.” 

She pointed it to his head. “But after everything that happened  _ there is no way I would forgive her.  _ **There is no way that I would forgive a killing machine like her!** ” 

Tanizaki watched how she raised her gun and aimed it at the sky. Pulling the trigger, six yakuza members jumped down from the building. Grabbing Kenji, Fumiko threw him towards Tanizaki. “Tell that stupid doctor that whatever plan she is thinking about won’t work on us!” 

“Just answer me this!” Tanizaki shouted as she turned away. “Why do you hate her?! She is just a victim, just like you!” 

Fumiko turned towards him with a glare. “She killed my older sister. She killed my childhood. She took everything away from me.” 

Tanizaki hung there dumbfounded. Fumiko walked away from them, her words only hitting him over and over again. 

_ Just how dysfunctional is this family?  _

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


Atsushi felt sweat go down his face. The situation just became more uglier. 

Kyōuka is next to him looking disgusted at the tiny graves in front of them. 

The two are now in Tokyo. 

Originally a fishing village named Edo, the city became a prominent political center in 1603, when it became the seat of the Tokugawa shogunate. By the mid-18th century, Edo was one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population numbering more than one million. Following the end of the shogunate in 1868, the imperial capital in Kyoto was moved to the city, which was renamed Tokyo (literally "eastern capital"). Tokyo was devastated by the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake, and again by Allied bombing raids during World War II. Beginning in the 1950s, the city underwent rapid reconstruction and expansion, going on to lead Japan's post-war economic recovery. Since 1943, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government has administered the prefecture's 23 special wards (formerly Tokyo City), various bed towns in the western area, and two outlying island chains.

Tokyo is the largest urban economy in the world by gross domestic product, and is categorized as an Alpha+ city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. Part of an industrial region that includes the cities of Yokohama, Kawasaki, and Chiba, Tokyo is Japan's leading center of business and finance. In 2019, it hosted 36 of the Fortune Global 500 companies. In 2020, it ranked third on the Global Financial Centres Index, behind New York City and London.

The city has hosted multiple international events, including the 1964 Summer Olympics and three G7 Summits (1979, 1986, and 1993); Tokyo is an international center of research and development and is represented by several major universities, notably the University of Tokyo. Tokyo Station is the central hub for Japan's Shinkansen bullet train system, and the city is served by an extensive network of rail and subways. Notable districts of Tokyo include Chiyoda (the site of the Imperial Palace), Shinjuku (the city's administrative center), and Shibuya (a commercial and business hub).

Tokyo was originally a small fishing village named Edo, in what was formerly part of the old Musashi Province. Edo was first fortified by the Edo clan, in the late twelfth century. In 1457, Ōta Dōkan built Edo Castle. In 1590, Tokugawa Ieyasu was transferred from Mikawa Province (his lifelong base) to Kantō region. When he became shōgun in 1603, Edo became the center of his ruling. During the subsequent Edo period, Edo grew into one of the largest cities in the world with a population topping one million by the 18th century. But Edo was Tokugawa's home and was not the capital of Japan. (That was caused by the Meiji Restoration in 1868.) The Emperor himself lived in Kyoto from 794 to 1868 as capital of Japan. During the Edo era, the city enjoyed a prolonged period of peace known as the Pax Tokugawa, and in the presence of such peace, Edo adopted a stringent policy of seclusion, which helped to perpetuate the lack of any serious military threat to the city.The absence of war-inflicted devastation allowed Edo to devote the majority of its resources to rebuilding in the wake of the consistent fires, earthquakes, and other devastating natural disasters that plagued the city. However, this prolonged period of seclusion came to an end with the arrival of American Commodore Matthew C. Perry in 1853. 

Commodore Perry forced the opening of the ports of Shimoda and Hakodate, leading to an increase in the demand for new foreign goods and subsequently a severe rise in inflation. Social unrest mounted in the wake of these higher prices and culminated in widespread rebellions and demonstrations, especially in the form of the "smashing" of rice establishments. Meanwhile, supporters of the Meiji Emperor leveraged the disruption that these widespread rebellious demonstrations were causing to further consolidate power by overthrowing the last Tokugawa shōgun, Yoshinobu, in 1867. After 265 years, the Pax Tokugawa came to an end.

And now here in the current era, in a certain graveyard, six graves are standing tall with names carved in them. 

“Just….just how sick are they?” Atsushi asked himself. 

“We are far sicker than you could imagine.” 

The two turn to see an old man standing there. He is around fifty years old. His one dismembered arm is away from his shoulder. He looked at them with a pleading look. 

“And I ask you to end it, Armed Detective Agency, for the sake of ojou-sama.” 

Which is how they managed to get to this situation. 

  
  


Atsushi looked at the man one more time before looking at the documents that he is holding. The three are back in Yokohama in the office, the one armed man now handcuffed to the table. He is silent and calm; his presence alone only radiating yakuza. 

“Young lady,” the man turned to Kyōuka. “May I have some tea?” 

The former assassin nodded, handing him the cup. His lips parted for the liquid to come in. Very elegant for a man who had been rumored to have killed twenty-five people. 

“Do we have to begin the interrogation now or when your superiors are here?” 

Atsushi flinched. “We can begin now but considering how Akutagawa wanted to talk to you personally I think it’s best to wait.” 

“Akutagawa? You mean the Rabid Dog that ojou-sama works for?” Nakarai asked, his eyebrow raised. “I will be quiet until he will be here.” 

Atsushi smiled until he heard the click of the door opening. Standing there is the president—Fukuzawa Yuchi—together with the boss of the Port Mafia—Mōri Ougai—and a beautiful bandaged woman being a former Yakuza member—Natsuo Kirino—. 

“Senpai!” Kirino sparkled. “I’m so happy that you are here! Did you know that the Port Mafia are officially taking Natsuko-chan in? They need to be very gentle with her, you know!” 

Nakarai closed his eyes. “I see. In that case I will speak what you ask of me.” 

Nakarai sipped his tea. His eyes looked at the two men. “You have made friends.” 

“Yep! Senpai meet Fukuzawa-kun and Mori-kun! They are only one year older then so I’m old enough to befriend them, right? Right!” Kirino beamed, a surprising gentle light in her eyes. 

“I’m happy for you.” Nakarai places his cup of tea down. 

Kyōuka and Atsushi watched how the woman, who had creeped the two out, became like a typical teasing kohai and began to play with him. “Seriously, senpai, giving yourself over just for the sake of Natsuko-chan! That’s so melodramatic.” 

“For the sake of ojou-sama I will do everything.” 

Kirino pouts. “Senpai~~~!” 

“It’s an honor to meet you,” Mori eventually said, sitting opposite of the yakuza. “My name is Mōri Ougai, the boss of the Port Mafia. You must be the rumored ‘One-Armed Oni’ Tōsui Nakarai.” 

“I am indeed.” Nakarai takes a sip from his tea. “It’s also an honor to meet you, former doctor.” 

Fukuzawa glanced between the two before eventually motioning Atsushi and Kyōuka to leave. The two did as told, having only the four adults to speak. 

“What is it that you need me to answer?” Nakarai questioned, his voice calming down whatever nerves the men had. 

“It’s rather simple really. It is only a single request as her only caretaker at that time; what is Higuchi’s potential when she experiences the feel of humanity?” Mori questioned. 

Nakarai smiled. “She would be very smiling. I saw her smile only a few times and they are very beautiful. I understand that she was faking herself back in the mafia but my only wish was for her to smile.” 

Mori smiled back. “Then you would help us bring her to justice?” 

“Unfortunately I can’t.” 

“Oh? Why not?” 

His eyes opened showing nothing but a hint of hope. “Because I’m not the one forcing her. If she wants to kill me she can kill me, if she wants to stay with us then I won’t force her to quit, if she wishes to die  _ then I will let her become free _ .” 

Kirino blinks three times before smiling. “Senpai is soft again. As long as big brother has her under her control she can’t do anything!” 

Fukuzawa raised his hand and flicked her on the head. She winced giving a tiny “gyah!”. 

A smile formed on her face. “That hurts.” 

Nakarai places his hand on his lost arm. “But before that I have a request.” 

“Go ahead,” Mori smiled kindly.   
  


Nakarai opened his eyes. 

“Please let me see Ojou-sama. If I can be able to be with her for just these moments then I will be an ally to your organization.” 

Mōri smirked. 

“You truly know how to talk in a professional way, right hand of the war god’s child.” 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fumiko Enchi and Higuchi Ichiyou in real life had no relationship whatsoever. 
> 
> Fumiko Enchi and Tanizaki Junichiro did have some relationship. Tanizaki inspired Fumiko when she was eight years old in real life. Specifically his sadomasochist stories.


	11. A literature anger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally see what happened before Higuchi was discovered. 
> 
> We finally meet more yakuza members who are against any violence to their beloved princess. 
> 
> And also Kirino being Kirino

_“How long until we are in Yokohama?”_

_Sawako looked down at her cousin in a bit of frown. She has certainly grown weaker. Must be because her little sister is becoming more demanding or something, or perhaps…_

_“In two hours.Geez if you don’t want to worry your friends then stay still!” Sawako teased, her plum lips forming a smile._

_Higuchi blushed in embarrassment. “They are my subordinates! I just don’t want them…”_

_“I got it, I got it~” Sawako nuzzled her nose in her cousin’s neck and rubbed that spot. “My little cousin has grown so much! I’m so happy!”_

_Higuchi grabbed her face and tried to pry her off, her face still flushed. “Stop messing with me!”_

_The two eventually continue their journey through the blue ocean…._

_…..until a giant stake emerged from the ocean._

_Sawako let go of Higuchi quick enough for the blonde to use the electrify to make herself stick to the giant stake. Sawako, still floating, raises her hand and a katana is summoned. “Natsuko!”_

_Natsuko grabbed the Japanese weapon. Unsheathing it, she charged towards the person standing on the stake._

_Standing there was none other than Fumiko Enchi— Ability: In The Waiting Years—with a murderous look on her face. Expecting her step sister to come, Fumiko clapped her hands two times having many stakes erupt from the stake._

_Natsuko did a backflip, falling down the giant stake. Sawako grabbed her before she hit the blue ocean; sitting on her shoulders._

_“Weak! Weak! Weak! That’s what you are, weak!” Fumiko grinned manically. Many words surround her legs. She jumped towards her and raised her leg._

_Natsuko raised her katana up to her leg. The impact made both plummet down, luckily enough Sawako activated a forcefield underneath them. Once landing with a thud, the doctor grabbed her cousin and threw her up towards the heir of the yakuza._

_Fumiko didn’t see it coming and got a punch to the guy followed right after with a German suplex adding with a flip and a kick. Fumiko readjusted herself and grabbed a stake. Natsuko stabbed her katana in the stake before flipping herself forward towards her step sister._

_“Ability: The Doctor’s Wife.” Sawako raises her hand and has six hyperspace activated near her. “Illuminations!”_

_Fumiko made a weird sound as two of the six hit her in the rib. The redhead plummeted in the ocean. Natsuko gives a thumbs up to Sawako. “Nice job!”_

_Sawako blinked before smiling. “No problem! I’m your cousin, it’s only natural that we support each other!”_

_Fumiko seemed to not have it as she rocketed towards Sawako. Murder written in her eyes as she raised her gun and fired shots. “Die!”_

_“Sawako! No!” Natsuko shouted as she watched how her cousin slam into the ocean._

_Fumiko scratched her face, punched her in the gut and choked her. Natsuko followed them in with a swan dive._

_Once in the water, Natsuko grabbed Fumiko from behind and electrocuted her. Somehow Fumiko managed to grab Natsuko and punch her so hard that she rocked out of the ocean._

_Sawako also launched herself out of the water to grab her cousin; blood dripping down her face. “God damn it Enchi! Are you that cheap that you are dragging me down to the ocean?!”_

_Fumiko rose from the ocean, a smirk on her face as a second stake formed under her. “My plan didn’t involve you! My plan for murder involved that fucking monster!”_

_Natsuko coughed some salt water before looking down at her step sister. “Enchi….i'm sorry for everything…”_

_Rage filled Fumiko’s eyes. “ **SHUT THE FUCK UP YOU!”** _

_A circle of words surrounded the two women and then—_

_“Ability: Masks In The Waiting Years!” Fumiko roared having cards of all shorts of colors are thrown at them—_

_“ **AAAAARRRRRRRFFGGGGGGGGGGG**!” Both screamed as pain shot in their bodies. Their bodies become tight as hell, blood rushing up to their head and bones breaking. _

_“I hate you! I hate you! I fucking hate you!” Fumiko declared. “I hate every single thing about you! **You killed my sister, used my mother’s organs for fucking bombs and you expect to sit still while both of you are acting like weak idiot!? Don’t fuck with me!”**_

_Both fall down towards the ocean only for Fumiko to charge towards them both; kicking Sawako in the stomach, sending her towards the waters. Luckily enough Sawako activated her flight again and steadied herself._

_“Natsuko!” She calls for her cousin but she stops when Natsuko’s hand is raised._

_“Don’t! We are outnumbered here! My ability isn’t fully activated and you are too injured to activate other abilities for now! Go to Natsu...please protect her,” Natsuko pleads, making Fumiko narrow her eyes._

_Sawako growled before flying off towards Yokohama. Her blood trail being the only evidence left behind._

_Fumiko landed on top of the stake. “Natsu? Isn’t she your catfish? What are you so worried about for her?”_

_Natsuko could only hear the sound of her collar ripping slowly thanks to Fumiko’s iron grip. But her question finally buzzed in. “Because I love her.”_

_“Hah?” Fumiko raises her eyebrow._

_“I’m sorry for the cause of your sister’s death, I’m sorry for using your mother for weaponry. Back in those days I didn’t hear myself. I only heard my father and mother’s orders. So when I became free thanks to Andersen and Ellen, I understood the feeling you had when Natsu went missing one day,” Natsuko looked into those eyes that had all the anger of the world. “The feeling of guilt, anger and disgust that tailed after that only made me think of her. It made me think of Hayashi.”_

_Tears begin to climb up into her eyes. “So I’m sorry Enchi. I’m very sorry.”_

_Enchi stayed silent. Her face is unreadable. It scared Natsuko. It scared her a lot._

_“Don’t mess with me,” Enchi said finally. “Just because that author took you doesn’t mean jackshit.”_

_Enchi leaned into her face with a look filled with anger. “You ran away from the yakuza, followed some Danish foreigners and they left you leaving you alone with your sister. Ellen joined the Port Mafia for your sake and you joined for Natsu’s sake. However, just because you joined the Port Mafia doesn’t mean that you are any different then your usual self.”_

_Natsuko gulped as Enchi gave a bored look, one filled with loathing. “You haven’t changed. You only became someone else because somebody told you too. No wonder that Andersen left you.”_

_Natsuko’s eyes narrowed down; a glare forming on her face. “You know nothing of Andersen.”_

_“I know enough after I heard from Mishima that you killed Ellen, you’re new mother and the dentist of Nakahara Chuuya.”_

_Natsuko felt her body freeze. Enchi let two stakes go sideways of her body, dismembering her legs. She didn’t scream, her mind already doing flips._

_Enchi let the clothes rip in her grasps. She grabbed a special gun and shot the special bullet in her chest. She watched how her sister’s murderer went down into the water before shooting two more stakes into her hands, making her fall faster in the ocean._

_Even though she fell, Enchi’s words still hit her._

_“No monster would have that special feeling of family.”_

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


Gin gulped audible as Kirino hummed a song. She is looking out the window, very close to Natsu who is now combing her sister’s hair. The men left for Higuchi to be cleaned, having her clothes be stripped off of her showing herself. Gin remained quiet as the aunt watched over her with a smile that brought goosebumps. 

“She is clean now,” Natsu turned to Gin who walked towards her superior’s body. As if sending her presence, Higuchi turned to her. Gin let her fingers tickle her superior’s cheek. 

“Don’t touch her, you sneaky assassin bitch,” Natsu growled, making Gin glare at her. Obviously the two still don’t get along. Kirino only watched the two with a smile on her face while the two gave each other demon eyes. 

Gin huffed eventually, feeling a blush come to her face knowing that she is fighting with someone younger than her. “Look girl I’m just as worried as you are. But Higuchi is strong enough to stand on her own.” 

“You must know from personal experience, don’t you?” Natsu shot back, having none of the goody-two-shoe talk that Gin is trying to put up. “Look, I know what you are trying to do here; being nice to me so that you can come into my home and assassinate my sister. I’m not going to accept that, you hear?” 

Gin heard about the assassin sent to Higuchi's current residence. She saw the pictures of his body before he died, let’s say she did not want to end up like that. Hearing how many blood trails Higuchi left behind before turning around and changing thanks to a man who only came to Japan to write tragedies. 

Looking back on it, Gin feels lucky that Higuchi faked everything. The onsen, the bathroom even that time in the alleyway; Gin was close to a killing machine that was temporarily shut off. 

“I’m not trying to hurt you nor your sister,” Gin glanced to her superior. “I’m actually very impressed that she managed to fool me but I’m also angry about everything.” 

“.....she only had ten years years to live, and so her parents tried to overdose her…..” 

“She killed so many yet she tried to leave. The yakuza couldn’t do anything because they knew that her torture would be worse, and she came to the Port Mafia to hide,” Gin gripped onto her fist, which she used to knock out Higuchi. 

Natsu glared at her. “Please, you really think that act will get me convinced. I will tell you something: the only reason my sister didn’t kill you and Ryuunosuke is because Ellen has a thing for orphans and children who lost a reason to live.” 

Gin felt the blood in her body turn. Falling sideways she coughed after she tried to tug her arm, it didn’t. She turned to see Natsu give a death glare; one that didn’t fit her. 

“I am the catfish. I will protect my sister regardless of her friends or just coworkers. You put a knife to my sister’s neck, you knocked her out and you have the gall to think I would ever give two shits for you?” Natsu narrowed her eyes, her hands becoming fists. 

Gin felt her heart beat slowly lower. 

“My ability, Muddy Bay, is just like Nakarai-san, a fake ability put within me to be useful for the world. My sister protected me by having a second ability forced into her, as such I will protect her,” Natsu raised her hand and a sword of water appeared thanks for her sweat. “Even though I didn’t control it, after Ellen’s death I felt a reason to protect her.” 

“ _I will join the Port Mafia for Ellen’s sake.”_

“Even so, the reason why she never left was all because your brother had the almost exact same goal as hers! Yet….” 

_“....I didn’t choose to leave because Ellen always wanted to take care of Akutagawa-senpai.”_

“...she only cared about him because Ellen would have done the same!” 

_Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep_. 

The two girls stopped their fight to turn to the monitor. Natsu’s grip on Gin loosened for her to stand up, and bolt towards the door. 

“Her heartbeat is dropping!” Gin shouted, getting the men on their feet immediately. 

“What?!” Tachihara and Akutagawa bolted into the room while Hirotsu dashed towards Sawako, the doctor probably by the coffee machine. 

“Don’t worry,” Kirino smiled, having the two men stop as she raised her hand. “This is just the effect of the Real World.” 

“The what?” Chuuya asked, his eyes looking at the rather tall women (but anyone who isn’t Chuuya must be tall). 

“My Ability, Out, allows me to erase memories however to gain them back you have to go through the Real World. Basically those dark words that Hirotsu-san showed you is merely a sign that she is gaining her memories. Don’t worry, her heart will be continuing in another minute or so,” Kirino explained, smiling widely. 

Tachihara glanced at his superior, she looked sickly pale as dark words began to cover her skin. Just in time Sawako ran in with Hirotsu and—

“Hyaaaaaah!” 

—dropped kicked into her stomach. 

“What the hell?!” Chuuya, Natsu and Tachihara shouted as the woman was landing on her feet before plopping down on the chair. 

“Man~, what a dramatic moment. The curse must have been so effective that her aorta must have already been filled with so many “alcoholic blood vessels”, damn, guess I have to do a few more surgeries.” Sawako complained, a smile still visible on her face. 

Natsu raised her leg and kicked the adult, glaring daggers at the woman. “What the hell?! You had to kick her for that reason?!” 

“How else would I do it? Just a normal doctor would use those machines with electricity but Natsuko’s body is just that used to her own paralyzation ability that not even Dazai-kun’s ability would work,” Sawako smiled, not at all feeling bad for the assault. “She will wake up in two hours, for now it’s best if you all just come back another time.” 

“I’m going to stay here,” Natsu declared, having Sawako to nod. 

“Sure! Aunt Kirino will be staying here in Yokohama in case the Real World curse gets too much for her,” Sawako floats towards Chuuya with a Cheshire smile. “Also for Chuuya, since she is the child of a god you have to take good care of her. If you don’t then I will take all of your wine collection and do it in your car!” 

“Don’t joke like that!” Natsu and Chuuya growled at her. 

“But I think it’s best to speed up the process,” Sawako grinned, an idea popping in her head. 

“How?” Akutagawa questioned, a glare plastered on his face. 

Kirino seemed to pick up on her niece’s idea. “Kobayashi-kun is now in Osaka right now but I can find a way for him to talk to me.” 

“Who are we talking about?” Tachihara glared at Kirino, whose smile began to grow. 

“A not so locatable Yakuza member who has a little thing for folklore, **Hideo Kobayashi**.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


Unique Christmas music wafted gently through the air, played on traditional Japanese instruments. It bantered with the comfortable silence lingering among the many hallways and rooms. Though a few currently resided in the comfort of familiar paper walls, they lay separate. It was near the peak of a merry season, but not every second needed to be spent among the comfort of others. 

Yet...one seemed to not like the sound the musicians are giving him. Propping his sword next to the skateboard, a thirty year old man glared at the young adult who is punching the tree a bit too loud for his liking. His long black hair pulled back in a low ponytail, the man adjusted his coat around his shoulders. His undershirt is midnight black with a red tie, his pants are held up with a belt. His green eyes watched how the young adult stopped his punches. 

“Kawabata-kun!” Said young adult jumped in his skin when his superior called out his name. Turning around, he sees the very angry look he gave. 

“Your breathing can be heard from here! What got you so noisy today?” 

Kawabata scratched the back of his head. “Sorry, Kobayashi-sensei.” 

Hideo Kobayashi—Second-In-Command of the Yakuza—rubbed his temple. Clearly his student did not learn shit from him. “What is it that got you so tense?” 

Kawabata sighed, sweat dripping down his neck. “It’s Mishima. Ever since Sawako-senpai had attacked us that night he has been ignoring me these days. Even when we fought he had tried to escape and not fight her, even when we tried to kidnap Natsuko-sama he tried not to hurt her too much.” 

Kobayashi nodded along, understanding the mind process that his nephew had in mind. He has taught them both hand-to-hand combat so he knows the two are close, especially after Mishima declared his love for her when they were eight. 

“So? For what reason are you feeling down?” Kobayashi questioned his student, his eyebrow raised in annoyance. 

“W,well it’s because I haven’t felt all this good. Enchi-sama has been getting more heated and well….” 

“...you are afraid that it will hit your little brother?” 

Brother wasn’t the way to call him, more like a friend? Either way the two are close. 

The ability user frowned. “I don’t think he cares about it unless it is about his machines.” 

Kobayashi sighed, for the twentieth time today. He is getting way too old for this. “Well, if you are having trouble then go and join me with some Artistic Age right?” 

Artistic Age, their secret meeting where they would forget their position and delve into the world of fiction and literature. Kawabata was—and still is—an active reader. “I wouldn’t mind, Kobayashi-sensei.” 

Kobayashi smiled. “Good.” 

The two walked towards the tree. “Now that I thought of it, Kawabata-kun, don’t you think it’s strange that Nakarai-san hasn’t already been located?” 

The teleporter only shrugged. “I bet that the Oyabun hasn’t realized how many people are against him. But at the end of the day he holds all of the authority in this part of Japan.” 

Kobayashi nodded. The former head was weird but he never once changed the policy of the yakuza. Was it not for that idiot of a new Oyabun then the yakuza didn’t have this crisis, not only that but to lead under the pressure of that stupid cult who are now living in their beautiful home is making him sick. 

“I just hope that Mishima isn’t all that mad at me.” 

Kobayashi understood his fear. He also is afraid that Kirino hadn’t forgiven him when he attacked her. After all, it was really not him who attacked her. 

“Mishima-shounen isn’t the type to get angry easily, especially not at his best friend.” 

Kawabata smiled at his teacher, something that Kobayashi is glad he is seeing. 

The two walk past some yakuza members. Each one of them talking about their day and the plans to help the Port Mafia when needed. 

“It’s the hottest topic in the house,” Kawabata mumbled, jumping towards the bridge to walk over it. 

“Of course it is. My sister has been unbelievable reckless these days. To think I am related to her,” Kobayashi rubbed his temple again. 

His student chuckled. “Must be hard, especially considering how nice you are compared to her.” 

“I was merely a man who accepted nothing from anyone.” 

Kawabata chuckled at his teacher. For some reason when it came to him, Kawabata always felt good when it came to this. The thought of having Kobayashi executed for only doing the right thing scared him. Anyone would be scared but none of them care anymore. 

The hiarchy has been long forgotten when those two declared their love for each other. 

The two stepped into a tiny shed, one where a cage and chains are cleaned; ready for their breadwinner to return. 

“Kawabata-kun, listen closely,” Kobayashi turned to his student. The young adult flinched at the sudden call of his name but he did turn to his mentor. 

“I was once a man in blue; I hold justice that every child who has been a product of their parents mistake should be treated with care, regardless or they have been dubbed a child of god. Homura-kun, Riichi-kun and Saikaku-sensei might believe she is a traitor but deep down we all know that we are the ones who are responsible for our Oyabun’s mistake.” 

Kawabata blinked at his teacher before turning away from him. “Natsuko-sama was rather cute, she is very picky with food and has a fear for water.” 

Kobayashi sighed, knowing exactly why. “Yes. No matter how you look at it, Natsuko-sama is human. Besides, our current heir isn’t all that bad either. She is just a bit too tsundere.” 

Kawabata felt his eyebrow twitch. Don’t you mean...easily tempered? 

The two walked in the shed and turned to the right. Their eyes were already fixated on the younger boy who is now playing with the chains. The boy looks around sixteen years old, his dark green hair is pulled back in a high ponytail, long eyelashes and sparkling brown eyes. His white dress shirt is dirtied thanks to the oil, his black pants hiding the stains. Around his neck is a tattoo with a snake on it. “Riichi-kun, are you done?” 

Yokomitsu Riichi—Ability: Heads and Bellies—turned to them both in shock. His eyes are hollow, as if someone is controlling him. Well, that is because he is. “Ah, good morning sensei. How are you?” 

Kobayashi sighed. “I’m done.” 

Kawabata blinked as his teacher turned around and marched away. “Huh? Sensei, where are you going?!” 

“I’m going to contact Haruhiko! I will not stand here while my family is being controlled by a stupid foreign organization!” 

“But...sensei…” Kawabata ran after him. “The Oyabun will kill you..!” 

“The life of my ojou-sama is more important than what a fucking monster has to say!” 

The teleporter used his ability and looked at his teacher. “Just hold on a bit longer please! If you betray him now then you will die.” 

Kobayashi stood there before sighing. “Fine, but at least let me contact Haruhiko.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


Kirino smiled widely as she held the phone by her ear. Akutagawa and Tachihara watched how the woman put the flip phone down and turned to the two mafioso with a grin. “Kobayashi-san can’t do much. Knowing how most of the yakuza are now in debt with the Desolation Angels.” 

“Isn’t that a European gang?” Natsu asked, now putting food in the microwave. 

“You're so well informed, Natsu-chan,” Kirino giggled. “Brother and sister always love European stuff. So it’s only natural when a group asks to use their most powerful members as puppets when with only one single order. They are super stupid~!” 

Tachihara frowned at the woman. Is she really thirty-nine? Well, she certainly looks like Higuchi alright; blonde hair, brown eyes (if that was her actual eye color) but the amount of bandages made him shiver a bit. Sure Dazai wears them too but he hides them rather well. She has no elegance nor any type of clothes that look fresh. 

Chuuya and Kouyou walk in. The golden demon ability user glanced at Kirino, a shiver running down her spine but she hides it well. “It’s good to see you again, Natsuo-san.” 

“My, my. Nice to see you again,” Kirino didn’t turn to her as she typed in a new phone number. 

“Then, about the…” 

“You can guide Natsuko-chan for all I care. The only one who got close enough to make her smile, to make her think human, is Andersen,” Kirino put the phone by her ear. “Ask Nakarai-senpai, he is her legal guardian.” 

“He is now helping the Armed Detective Agency. He was her right hand?” Kouyou asked, wanting to learn more about her new apprentice. 

“Senpai was always worried about her. She always ignored her health wanting to prove her worth to my brother. It’s cute really how she ignored her own endurance and wanted to prove herself to him,” Kirino turned to her with a grin. “If you are going to guide her, make it entertaining to watch.” 

Kouyou frowned before she turned to the sound of Higuchi’s heartbeat stopping. Kirino grabbed a bottle of water… 

“Hey, what are you doing?” Tachihara demanded, eyes going wide as the ability user held a gleam in her eyes. 

“Here you go~!” Kirino cheered as water landed on Higuchi…. 

“ **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH**!!!!!!” 

A high pitched scream filled the room. Akutagawa watched in horror as his assistant was getting electrocuted, her eyes wide while her body was jolting up. 

Tachihara stumbled backwards as the screams still continued to echo, Kouyou had an unreadable expression while Chuuya stayed silent. 

Only when Higuchi’s screams stopped did Chuuya speak. 

“What was that for?” Chuuya growled, glaring daggers at the woman. 

Kirino grinned, turning to the two with eyes that scream malice. Something that reminded Akutagawa of a demon. 

“ **Because I love Natsuko-chan!** ” 

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of references. 
> 
> 1\. Ellen was in real life the Italian translator of Hans Christian Andersen and studied as a dentist, she met many famous people which Ango had mentioned in the previous chapters. 
> 
> 2\. Kawabata, Riichi Yokomitsu and other young writers started a new literary journal Bungei Jidai ("The Artistic Age"). The editor is Hideo Kobayashi. 
> 
> 3\. Hideo Kobayashi knew Nakahara Chuuya and was the first person to ever openly critique Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. 
> 
> 4\. Yukio Mishima and Yasunari Kawabata in real life knew each other very well, best friends even. So much so that Yasunari Kawabata committed suicide few days after Yukio Mishima. 
> 
> 5\. In Natsuo Kirino’s bio one of her nicknames is The Dancing Girl of Izu, which is one of Yasunari’s famous works


	12. A Coin That Remains Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ellen is here mentioned, Hirotsu is a senpai, Kouyou is now a Kouyou-chan and Higuchi finally wakes up.

_ Do you posses something that makes us obey? _

There was once a girl who was born in a world filled with filth. No matter how much she tried to ignore it, how she tried to think about it; the reason why she existated was almost hard to decipher. 

Nothing made sense for her. Not even a droplet of logic could try to make her think why she was here. It was almost unbelievable for her to reason with her subordinates that she brought them a different happiness compared to her father. 

Her thought process was always  _ Is this what father wants from me _ or  _ Shall I die here for father’s sake _ . Her own body was meaningless for her. No matter the circumstances, no matter the consequences she always didn’t look at herself only at the other humans who spent their time with her. 

Only when her father touched her intimately, caressed her gently, when he made her feel more warmth then any place else did she feel like the world was perfect. Even when her cousins told her to run away she still stayed because her father noticed her. Mother didn’t look at her but she didn’t care what she thought, only if father asked those gentle words to her then nothing could make her more happy. 

_ Can I touch you?  _

She felt happy. Very happy. 

So why? 

**Why did only they make her feel like she was the luckiest person in the world?**

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


“She will wake up in twenty minutes, don’t worry.” 

Chuuya sighed, his blue eyes glancing at the man stepping out. He has black hair and dark blue eyes, he wears a black suit with a white tie. 

His name is Jirō Osaragi—Ability: Kurama Tengu—and he is part of the Support group in the yakuza. He bowed down to Nakarai before leaving. 

“What’s his deal?” Tachihara snarled, glaring daggers at the man who left without a word.

“Jirō-kun has a tendency to be very busy. Don’t blame him for it,” Nakarai said as his metallic arm went to his back and bowed to Chuuya. “But unlike him my agenda is only filled with worries for Ojou-sama, as such I am in debt to you, Nakahara Chuuya-dono.” 

The mafioso stuttered a bit. “Huh?! I haven’t done much.” 

“You might think that but you have inspired Ojou-sama more than you might think.” Nakarai straightened up, his grey eyes filled with happiness. A small smile tugged on his lips, albeit a small one. 

Gin, standing next to her brother, asked the question. “Is this about Ellen?” 

“Huh?” Chuuya turned to Gin, Kouyou stiffening next to him. “What about Ellen-san?” 

“She adopted Higuchi right?” 

Chuuya’s eyes flew open. 

_ “Good job, Chuuya-kun! You don’t have a cavity anymore!”  _

“Jirō-kun’s ability allows him to send his soul to a person’s body and heal their brain circuits. As such, their bodies will be in a short coma. That is enough time to explain everything perfectly, don’t you agree?” Nakarai asked, turning to Kouyou. 

“Enough time.” Kouyou walked already towards the tiny launch area, Hirotsu following close behind with the rest of the Black Lizards. Chuuya ran after them

…..leaving Akutagawa behind. 

“Akutagawa-kun,” Nakarai’s voice made him turn to the elder yakuza. 

“If you want to stay with Ojou-sama, then you can.” 

Akutagawa looked at the man; he knew his kohai more, in fact, very much watched her grow up into the hands of two mentally sick people. The same person who was always over cautiously looks after his health, the same person is now comatosed while all her secrets are being revealed like an onion. 

“Why are you helping her? She is no longer being the one who you serve,” Akutagawa pointed out, his eyes narrowing. 

Nakarai smiled, his next choice words making Akutagawa’s eyes widen. 

“It’s my job.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Seven Years Ago—Port Mafia Headquarters

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

  
  


_ Nakahara Chuuya, fifteen years old, followed his new teacher; Ozaki Kouyou, into one of the many rooms. A place far away from the usual dark halls of the mafia and even from the three giant buildings.  _

_ “Ane-san, where are we going?” Chuuya winced when he talked, his cavity not at all getting any better.  _

_ “That prank Dazai pulled on you was very rude. I will bring you to a trustworthy person to take care of that annoying,” Kouyou grabbed a hold of the door. Her eyes sharpened at the sight of her protege wincing more, “...mistake.”  _

_ She opened the door and stepped in, Chuuya followed in timidly to look in the room; it’s a clean room, an orange chair with many tables filled with hooks and other machines. Sitting at the computer is a woman with purplish blue hair up in a bun, her slender fingers grabbing her phone, looking over something before putting it down.  _

_ She turned towards them, her light blue eyes shining in excitement after two seconds of staring. “Kou-chan!” The woman exclaimed, jumping towards Kouyou only to get held back by Golden Demon.  _

_ “Ellen-senpai, please don’t call me that. I understand that You Europeans are different but we don’t act like we are friends,” Kouyou hissed at the woman.  _

_ Ellen blinked after she put her hands on her hips. “Really? In that case that will change then!”  _

_ Kouyou has her eyebrow twitch. Chuuya flinched when Ellen turned to him with a smile. “So he is the famous Arabaki? The king of sheep.”  _

_ “Former king of sheep,” Kouyou corrected. “Dazai-kun pranked him and now his tooth hurts.”  _

_ Ellen smiled at Chuuya, something that made him blush. “In that case allow me to help you. It’s as my motto says [For All The World’s Hardships Lies A Beautiful Utopia]!”  _

_ Kouyou sighed in annoyance. “I forgot how annoying you are.”  _

_ Ellen giggles as she patted the chair. “I love you Kouyou-chan. Well then, here you go Chuuya-chan.”  _

_ Chuuya flinched, frowning a bit at her. “Chan?”  _

_ Ellen nodded, giving a very gentle smile.  _

_ “Anyone as cute as you should be called with Chan, right?”  _

◤━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◥

Current time—Yokohama Hospital. 

◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢

  
  


Natsuo Kirino walked past her senpai to the woman with round glasses. She is standing with the blonde haired man who is now speaking to Atsushi. Just enough space for Nakarai not to be disrupted. 

“Ellen-kun was part of the Port Mafia in the medical bay. She was a dentist who was very much a ray of sunshine in the Port Mafia,” Hirotsu begins, his eyes trailing to the picture of Ellen in front of him; she is holding onto Natsu while the man next to her is having Higuchi in his arms, her eyes closed because of the water that is dripping down her eyes. She looks around fifteen years old. “She was my kohai at the time.” 

“It is said that she died from an accident, a year after that Higuchi-kun applied into the Port Mafia,” Hirotsu turned his eyes to Nakarai who only smiled bitterly. 

“Yes. Ellen and Andersen knew each other for three years and both lived in the same neighborhood. They were childhood sweethearts, and when Ellen moved to Yokohama, Andersen happened to travel there as well.” 

Chuuya tapped his finger against his head. “How did I forget her? I clearly remember Ellen-san talking about her all the time.” 

“That’s because I erased that part of your memory,” Kirino said, giggling to herself when Chuuya glared daggers at her. 

Mori raised his hand to his executive. “Explain to them, Kirino-san.” 

Kirino smiled at them, her eyes not blinking. “Mori-san had asked me two years ago to erase Natsuko-chan’s existence from the Port Mafia. It took a while for some members but eventually I managed to erase some aspects. Even so, I had so much fun seeing Natsuko-chan struggle.” 

Kouyou narrowed her eyes at the woman after she heard those words. Natsuko, the child that Ellen had begged her to look after, is right under their noses and yet she didn’t love anyone. Kirino only continued with her explanation. “As such I also had to redo a few things which included the whole Ability issue. As you may have seen on many occasions, Natsuko-chan never once used her ability.” 

“However the story of her having a personality disorder doesn’t add up,” Tachihara butted in, his amber eyes glancing to the Armed Detective Agency. “Did they deceive us on purpose?!” 

“No. They are technically speaking correct,” Kirino answered, clasping her hands behind her. 

“Huh?” Gin voiced. “What do you mean?” 

“Natsuko-chan was ambushed, Natsuko-chan was shot and yet she did nothing. She barely even reacted to anything related to death or her fears!” Kirino smiled, her eyes having this eerie glow. “Natsuko-chan is just very good at deceiving people, even herself.” 

“What Kirino means is that the play that Ojou-sama played in her head became her reality,” Nakarai explained. “The mindset of not having an ability is just her miracle, and like many miracles never become true. As such the personality of Ichiyou became her reality.” 

Tachihara gritted his teeth. “So you’re telling me that Higuchi is torturing herself with guilt to the point that she mentally sick?” 

Kirino smiled at him. “For a mad dog you sure know how to word things. Are you worried?” 

Tachihara slammed his hands on the table, Gin wincing next to him together with another woman with round rimmed glasses. “Of course I am! Even though she acted annoying, had that stubborn persona and wasn’t rationally thinking all the time her smile, her laughter and her loyalty was real!” 

Nakarai nodded alongside those words, Kirino’s smile widening more and more. Tachihara however only continued. 

“She wasn’t always the best superior. Worrying over Akutagawa whilst still having been shot or trying to make sure he is safe even though she was naked in a onsen! However,  **that part of her was what was enjoyable!** ” 

“You mean her being naked?” Kirino questioned innocently, not at all taking his words seriously. 

“Pervert~!” Sawako joined in, floating in the air. 

Tachihara began to turn red—but not of embarrassment. They could tell because of his next choice of words. “No! I meant her acting more human than any other person here!” 

The two stayed silent. Both of their eyes wide whilst Nakarai narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. His black eyes searching the boy for lies. There were none. 

“You say she suffered so much under the torture of her parents, I don’t blame you for going against them after they misused their power for their own benefit and not that of Yokohama, still she is working more harder everyday! Each day, every day….” Tachihara turned to the woman with some tears in his eyes. “Someone who claims to love her so much  **should understand that she works hard everyday to be seen as human!** ” 

Silence followed after that, the commander's words hitting them all. Some of the Armed Detective Agency members watched how the former Yakuza member frowned at him; a different expression compared to what she usually has. 

“Human? Tell me, what is human to you?” Kirino questioned, her smile downwards showing nothing but something akin to a parent looking down at a child. 

Tachihara didn’t back away from this question. “Someone greedy, someone sweet, someone spiteful, someone angelic, someone who is the best at everything, someone who is the worst and those who fall in the grey area.” 

Kirino narrowed her eyes. “That’s too long. Let me give you a short but simple one; humans are like coins.”

Sawako patted Mori on the shoulder before turning towards the Armed Detective Agency, her turn to question herself. 

“Coins can be seen as the same thing yet they are not. Each coin has a different color, a different description and even has a different size. 500 yen is nothing compared to the usual 1.000 yen. I will tell you why, one has more value,” Kirino flipped a coin in the air. “Which is why many find it weird in other countries that a coin here is different in their city, the reason is because humans are simply too difficult or too easy to understand.” 

“Stupid humans, smart humans, beautiful human and ugly humans are all the same. Regardless if you beg for a difference it is all the same,” Kirino takes out a wood chipper and smacks it too Tachihara. Wasn’t it for his ability then he would have been shot, the coin after all was stopped mere inches away from his forehead; blood coming.

“Which is why I don’t understand. I don’t understand why humans are what they are. Natsuko-chan is stubborn, hotheaded and also very open to others yet she is also loyal, happy and a ray of sunshine. She was always human yet she believed somewhere differently,” Kirino glanced to Chuuya and chose her words with the same eerie glow in her eyes. 

“If you want to take care of Natsuko-chan  **then tell her to look and see how human she is** .” 

The table stayed silent. Tachihara sat down when Hirotsu pulled him down, Kirino also putting her coin away. 

Chuuya turned away from the group, wondering how Higuchi and Akutagawa were doing. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

  
  


The clock ticked endlessly. Akutagawa kept his cool as he folded his cravat on his lap. Currently now he is in the bathroom taking a quick bathroom break, he knows that Higuchi might scold him for it even though. He trusted the nurse well enough that his kohai will wake up, she is the one that saved her from the White Ones and the two ability users. Even so, her strength had all been put in with the one that caused the most damage. 

When he first saw Natsu he was reminded how different she was from Higuchi. Natsu was more open but a bit pathetic, Higuchi is less open yet more pathetic. He remembers those times where he wished that she would just leave this world and not be anywhere near him; her constant worrying and upbeat attitude made him want to kill her. 

**But now he knows that is what she aimed for.**

She purposely wanted to be attacked by him, she wanted to get killed by him. She only wanted that. However, her admiration for him became too much and her own goal became clouded. The warnings she got from the Black Lizards became her fuel to become better but her goal stopped her every time. 

Higuchi Ichiyo and Higuchi Natsuko began to fight what was right and what was not right. 

Each day became a constant battle. No longer did Higuchi become one person but two people drawn by her own delusions. 

And all this time he turned a blind eye to his kohai. 

He remembered back then, when she smiled down on him. Her eyes filled with tears, a smile gracing her face. The light made her shine. 

_ “It’s my job.”  _

Walking out of the bathroom he walked towards the bed. 

As a mafioso, Higuchi proves ruthless and fearsome, not shying away from killing her targets. When confronted by the enemy, she has a distant atmosphere to herself, often strictly no-nonsense and showing little sympathy for them. Quick to act, she seldom tolerates disrespect and detests those who underestimate Port Mafia.

However, Higuchi's personality, as her boss and she herself notes, is rather unfit in the Port Mafia. Beneath her tough exterior, she is easy to upset, hesitant, and quick to question herself. She even contemplated leaving several times, despite the inevitable hardships defection foretold. As a result, her subordinates seldom show her respect, many following her orders out of fear of Akutagawa's wrath. An impulsive spirit also leads her to tend toward drastic measures, consequently going against orders.

Her biggest weakness is her intense, bordering obsessive loyalty to Ryunosuke Akutagawa, whom she obeys almost unconditionally. She often insists on filling in for Akutagawa, worried about his poor health. Unfortunately, her loyalty is met with a frustrated Akutagawa's abusive and harsh treatment, often being called "unnecessary" to him. Nonetheless, Higuchi remains loyal to him. Her instinct to tell Akutagawa everything she knows ends up a key component to luring Akutagawa to the Guild's Moby Dick. However, Higuchi makes up for her weaknesses by having a strong resolve, and she refuses to turn away when allies, especially Akutagawa, are in danger. Thankfully, her determined and honest nature earns her Black Lizard's respect. She proves reliable and incredibly brave, even if her judgment is easily clouded under pressure. Even if questioning her position in the mafia, Higuchi shoulders its burdens and responsibilities to this day, understanding its vital role in Yokohama's safety. She also makes it a point to not be unnecessarily cruel to her opponents, acting strictly professional in Akutagawa and Port Mafia's names.

Her composure can often waver. Sometimes she is cool-headed and intimidating, other times easily unsettled and stressed out. Ultimately, she seems to excel more in covert operations than the frontlines, as a tendency to panic leaves her wide open in battle.

But next to all of this, Higuchi Ichiyo is at the end of the day a persona that Higuchi Natsuko created to die with. 

Akutagawa stopped when he noticed the sight of Natsu staring in front of her, her plate forgotten. He turned to where she was looking at and he….

….felt his eyes widen. 

“Senpai? What are you doing here?” 

Red eyes blinked seeing the two standing there, short blonde hair reaching over her shoulders. 

“....Higuchi?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a real question here. In most fan art I see that Higuchi has blood red eyes, what is going on here? Whatever it is I don’t mind it. She actually looks cool with it.


	13. Higuchi Natsuko

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The whole yakuza fiasco is over now in favor of Higuchi’s current problem; her new life in the Port Mafia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will post as much as I can considering how my work on Wattpad is also very much important.

Red eyes looked out the window, a sad smile tugging her lips as her little sister was crying in her chest. 

Akutagawa sits next to the hospital bed, looking over the sight of his assistant's new set of eyes. They are red like blood but adding with her golden hair she looked like a ruby jeweled crown. The empty plate by the nightstand had been glutonely eaten in front of him, not that he cared considering how much Natsu already scolded her for eating too fast. 

“So everyone knows?” Higuchi eventually asked, her frail hands rubbing her sister’s scalp gently. 

“Law officers, the Port Mafia, the remnants of the Guild and the Armed Detective Agency,” Akutagawa listed for her after he had calmly explained the situation for her. 

Higuchi looked down at her sister, a sad expression blooming. “I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be. Considering the living circumstances you were in it was only natural for you to not want to tell anyone, child of Takemikazuchi.” Akutagawa ignored the glare he got from Natsu. “You are lucky that the Port Mafia didn’t execute you.” 

Higuchi turned to him, dull eyes boring into his. “Will you do the honors then and kill me where I am now?” 

His grey eyes are strained on her. She didn’t flinch nor did she apologize; she meant it. She honestly meant it to be killed by him. Natsu didn’t move. She only enjoyed the last remaining warmth she could get from her sister. 

“I haven’t been given orders yet, but if I do I will do you a favor and kill you,” Akutagawa watched how Higuchi smiled sadly at him, as if knowing that he won’t actually do it. He will do it but he will hesitate to it. After all, he promised not to kill anyone in six months. Not even one month has gone by. 

The now-revealed ability user patted her sister’s head who stopped sobbing in favor for nuzzling herself in her sister’s embrace, wanting to stay there forever. Akutagawa turned away from them, feeling like he intruded. “I will visit every now and then. You are incapable of walking yet because you have been in that bed for way too long. Rest, Higuchi.” 

“Will the others also visit?” Higuchi questioned, exhausted of the whole thing or more from the fact that she just woke up. 

“No. They are now preparing for your return seeing how you are physically unfit to fight,” Akutagawa answered, his eyes trailing to her legs who are still being checked on. 

“Then you are the first to see me (Natsuko).” 

He feels his fist tighten in his pocket. It is true. He remembered her brown eyes twinkeling in happiness hearing his first praise to her, now there are only cold red eyes that lock with his grey ones. Not one second goes by that he wants those rubies to turn into the chocolate color he is used too. 

“Where is Higuchi Ichiyō?” He demanded, feeling like he is missing something. 

Higuchi turned to the window, a sign that she hates to talk about it. “She is dead.” 

The two stay silent again, the only sound being Natsu’s breathing. After what felt like ten minutes she sat up. “Onee-chan, about the Port Mafia.” 

“It’s okay. Sawako is here and I know that she wouldn’t dare to experiment on you, aunt Kirino will erase the thought of me and the yakuza so you won’t have to worry about them torturing you,” Higuchi smiled at her little sister who hugged her tenderly. “It’s okay to be okay.” 

“I don’t care about myself, I’m worried about you,” Natsu pointed out, her voice muffled but still audible. 

Higuchi remained silent, only patting her sister’s head. Akutagawa shifted his eyes from the two sisters to the floor. It would be a lie to say that he is also worried about his assistant. She just woke up after being tortured and beaten up, and the first thing she says is that her sister will be alright? How selfless is she? 

“If death is my punishment then I see it as a reward,” Higuchi brushed away Natsu’s incoming tears. 

“But you don’t deserve to die! You have done the best you could! Didn’t Mori-san day that to you?! Effort is more important then results!” Natsu shouted, tears going down her rosey cheeks while Higuchi wipped them away with her thumb. 

Akutagawa finally glanced at the two sister’s; if he honestly had to put two and two together then he understood that Natsu hates the submissive side of her sister. He couldn’t blame her. He himself felt like shaking her as well. 

Higuchi’s words however seem to haunt them both. 

“Only a monster is allowed to die by the hands of humans.” 

The sound of the door opening filled the room. Mori Ougai walked in with his two executives. The two lightly gasped seeing the now awake former yakuza heir. Natsu turned away from them to the window, not planning to move away from her sister. 

Kouyou wasn’t bothered by the little girl’s presence, she is more focused on the woman whose brown eyes are now red like rubies—or blood. 

“It’s been a while, Higuchi Natsuko. I hope that you understand the contract,” Mori smiled at her, making Higuchi nod. 

Natsu sat up and went to bed. She passed by Chuuya, their eyes locking on each other. When she is fully out of the room, Higuchi answers. 

“Yes, master.” 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

Kōyō is a tall and slender woman with cherry red eyes and red hair tied into a traditional Japanese bun that is held by three long golden clips and another hair clip on the right side of her head, composed by a light pink furry hair clip and red ribbon which forms a five-petal flower, and violet eyes.

Her kimono is pink overlapped by dark purple with bellflower motifs, tied neatly with a maroon bow which has white borders, and a light pink mantle which goes darker in color from her elbow to her feet. She wears a red eye shadow and light pink lipstick. Kōyō carries a red Japanese umbrella that conceals her sword. She is the image completely different compared to the twenty year old woman now carefully being put in the wheelchair. 

The one that carried her was obviously her former assistant, Tosui Nakarai. The Black Lizards left early after Kirino also left with the Armed Detective Agency. The yakuza member handed his lady to Chuuya, not without thanking them for not killing her. Kouyou didn’t care about killing her, she was more surprised that she is now the Port Mafia’s pet. 

“The contract said that if she were to use her ability then she has no choice but to change her blood from red to black.” Or so the boss had said. 

Even so she didn’t expect her to be so different. Instead of looking tense and offendedly wary she seemed to accept everything, even only talking when the boss made a hand motion. For some reason the sight of that woman always working hard everyday only for her to throw everything away brought unnecessary memories back. 

Especially from Ellen. 

[I love you, Kou-chan!]

Chuuya glanced at Higuchi who only remained silent. Her red eyes held no light nor the indication of that determination. She is merely there and nothing else. 

“This will be your new place for now,” Mori said when they stopped at a building. A large apartment complex with fifty stories. Higuchi tilted her head up, her blonde hair lightly touching Chuuya’s gloved hand. “Because of the yakuza now aware of your location, you will reside here for now.” 

“Understood.” Is her only response. Chuuya pushes her further inside, many agents already standing poised. Their mouths are shut even though they wanted to comment on the new pair of eyes. 

As the four walked to the elevator no one spoke. Higuchi didn’t even blink. Kouyou glanced at Chuuya a few times who only shrugged, not knowing why she is the Port Mafia’s pet now. 

Mori opened the door of room 1872. Inside it was just a simple room, a bar for her to cook in, a tv to watch on and a couch big enough for five people to lay on. Higuchi didn’t blink at all, somehow she didn’t even move. Like a statue. 

“This will be your new home from now on. You will reside here together with your little sister as per requested, Chuuya and Kouyou will mentor you from now on,” Mori turned to Higuchi, the slightest movement being her head tilted to him slightly. 

“Understood.” Mori tilted his head to the side noticing her sudden change. He smirked. 

“Say, Higuchi-kun, about your hair.” 

“I will grow in two days. The Real World curse only applies to me, it’s the same as Shishou’s ability, only aunt Kirino’s has more of an after effect,” Higuchi answered. “It will grow to its original height.” 

“I see. I remember the first time the two of us met how Elise-chan liked to play with your hair!” Mori childishly smiled, turned to his ability with a grin. “Maybe you can both dress up!” 

“Hah?!” Elise glared at him. “Why in the world would I want to play with a pet?!” 

“Oh come on Elise-chan~! You always commented on how much you like her hair!” Mori teased, poking her head. 

“Understood.” Both turned to Higuchi who had yet to blink. “I will be Vita Sexualis personal playmate, as you suggested.” 

She is quick to accept Chuuya noted, looking down at the woman. Nothing compared to….

}[I don’t accept a double suicide even if the boss asked me for one!]{

Mori clapped his hands. “Great! Don’t forget, Higuchi-kun that I will visit in those three days! Sawako-kun also said that she will give everything to your new household. Any requests?” 

Higuchi finally blinked—a relief to both Chuuya and Kouyou—and parted her lips. “I want my little sister not to be involved with any personal affair between the Port Mafia and me.” 

“Understood! A reliable older sister like you wanting your only treasure to not be involved with us,” Mori smiled at her, which she didn’t look at until he clapped his hands. 

“Thank you very much, Master.” 

“Great!” Mori turned to Chuuya. “Bring her to her new room, she will reside there until her body is perfect for her missions.” 

“Yes, boss.” 

The petite mafia executive pushed Higuchi to the second door with her name on it. Opening it he sees a made up bed, nice sheets and a private bathroom. He picked her up bridal style and put her on the bed. He looked at her one more time, his eyes trailing to her frails hands which he held onto for a month. 

“Get some rest,” Chuuya said before walking out. 

Leaving Higuchi to just close her eyes and rest. 

|•<<<◥◤◢◣◥◤>>>•|

A day passed which left the Port Mafia in a disaree. 

Higuchi Ichiyō is no longer part of the Port Mafia. Her desk is cleaned leaving no trace behind of the woman; she didn’t really have much to begin only a picture she took with the Black Lizards was the only valuable thing Akutagawa had picked up. The whole organization was now in a point where none mentioned the woman. Her being a Yakuza heir born from incest, a child being fused by a war god with no much to do in life other then killing anyone her oyabun caught sight of. Her death rate was that high that many who were close to her let out a sigh of relief knowing that they were spared. 

One of them is Gin, who is now enjoying her day off. She passed by the port where she found her former superior, she passed by the old apartment she lived in but more importantly she stood in front of the alleyway where Higuchi had seen her—elegant form. 

A day had passed and yet Gin still didn’t seem to understand the reality of it all. She didn’t really thought much of Higuchi. When she first met her the only thing that drew Gin to the blonde was her forgeign look. She thought it was dyed like Tachihara but the more she spent time with her the more she noted how real it was. 

For a while Gin believed that Higuchi was as she had thought; a person that easily gets flustered, never once seen the dark side of Yokohama next to the mafia and is very much open to be killed by. 

As an assassin, Gin is silent and stealthy, described by Tachihara Michizō as being able to sneak behind someone and slash their throats in an instant. This was demonstrated when she snuck behind Higuchi Ichiyo and put a knife to her throat before she could notice.

Fittingly an assassin, Gin is deathly quiet, seldom speaking, and pairs her silence with either indifferent or serious expressions. Similar to her brother, she's quick to lash out when provoked. Her fellow commander, Tachihara, has no problem antagonizing her, ending up as the target of her temper majority of the time.  
However, unlike her brother, her anger is often short lived. Although she has a sense of humor, it's implied to be rather dry and sarcastic, such as writing "Congrats!" in the dirt to Tachihara when Atsushi Nakajima forces him to hold a baby during the Q Incident.

Hidden beneath her stoic personality, she blushes easily when embarrassed such as when Osamu Dazai mentioned how she was a "dainty little girl" when she was younger and when Higuchi saw her in her civilian clothes. She is also noted to have a very cute voice. When it comes to others, it appears she prefers keeping this side of her to herself and dislikes being put on the spot over it. However, more recently, she has grown to become more comfortable with actually conversing with her coworkers and has also been shown to care about their wellbeing.

She is closest to Akutagawa, smiling fondly at him and returning home with him after her return from a mission. After Akutagawa promises to Nakajima Atsushi not to kill anyone for half a year, Gin notices Akutagawa's increasing irritability, attempting to find ways to pacify him, but knowing his demeanor leaves much to be desired in terms of relaxation.

But now the biggest problem for him lacking relaxation is the news of Higuchi leaving the mafia. Ever since the whole revelation he had trouble sleeping, always being by her desk or taking care of the groceries for Natsu. His schedule has been filled with only Higuchi. Higuchi and only Higuchi. 

“Let’s see what they have for today,” Gin mumbled as she looked over the stalls. 

Frankly, it’s exhausting. In the Port Mafia, hardly anyone knows her as anything besides the silent and terrifying killer. Hell, most don’t even know she’s a girl. In a way, she prefers that. In a girl people can see weakness, or they can see a target. Either one is not preferable to her, considering that’s what she’s used to in her other life.

There are benefits, though. In the Port Mafia, there’s nothing connecting her to her brother. She’s not Akutagawa Gin, she’s just Gin. It’s freeing, in a way. If her relationship to him were known, she’d be stuck living in his shadow. With an ability like his, she’d always be inferior.

But still, she’s here because of him. They came here together, after all, a package deal in a way. Is she staying because of him? Or does she actually cherish her life here?

She does. Especially after she heard about Higuchi's life. She is still wondering how Higuchi feels about this. 

After all, it is her life that she kept hidden so well that it was almost painful to not notice. The same details she did, the many times Gin felt like she is becoming a student again with the many times she is making riddles. 

“I suppose curry will be on the menu,” Gin concluded, walking towards the supermarket—

—only to pass by shimmering gold. 

She stands there frozen as the woman passes her by. Turning around slowly she noticed the shining rubies. 

Gin’s cheeks turn red, her previous idea of buying curry being forgotten in favor for standing like an idiot.


	14. The Mysterious Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A mini chapter where a mysterious blonde haired beauty is in Yokohama and many wanted to know who she is.

“You saw a golden haired woman?” Akutagawa questioned as he continued to cut down the vegetables in circles, his bangs pulled back into weird like twintails. 

Gin is now facing her computer, looking over the surveillance footage of that morning which she got permission to look into thanks to Chuuya. The picture of the woman closing her eyes is the only thing Gin could capture as she walked towards the supermarket. Gin also saw a little girl exiting but she didn’t see her face because of the gaming console she has in her hand. 

“Yes. I need to find her, I have never seen her before but her hair. It’s so shiny!” Gin sparkles, zooming on the beauty. She prints out the picture and holds it in front of her brother as he sits down in front of her with two plates of curry. 

Akutagawa grabbed the picture and squinted his grey eyes. Long blonde hair, bangs framing her face and the wind picking up the long locks. She wears a white blouse, blue skirt with lemon skirt. The younger one is completely hidden thanks to the woman. Akutagawa has to admit that she looks beautiful, gorgeous even. Not that he has much of an opinion on women anyway. He is too busy dealing with other stressful things. 

Like for example the way how Higuchi Ichiyo is basically nonexistent. His kohai is gone in favor of a killing machine. 

“About Higuchi,” Gin starts, her pencil slowly going down. “Is she really..?” 

“Yes. She is no longer part of the mafia. I can’t really say much other than that she had a contract with the boss that if she exposed her ability or involved the Port Mafia with the Yakuza, then she would no longer be part of us,” Akutagawa didn’t feel hungry anymore after that. His fingers curl near his plate. “I don’t know about Natsu.” 

“The were-tiger and Kyōuka said something about children but I wasn’t close enough to hear anything,” Gin closed her laptop. “I wonder how many secrets she has from us.” 

“They aren’t any of our concern, Gin. What’s more important is that we can just forget everything that has happened this month,” Akutagawa begins his meal, ignoring the usual appreciations of God for giving them food—because what God gave him was never given to her. 

Gin sighed, grabbing her spoon and taking a scoop from it. Whatever their current thoughts were about the blonde meant nothing. She is no longer with them—somehow that felt even more sad then her killing three opponents herself. 

The thought of the blonde haired woman never left her mind though. In fact, she started to feel really giddy knowing she can see her again. Something she has never ever since remembered that girl walking past her, after commenting how cute she might look. 

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

The next day on the way to work she caught the blonde haired beauty sitting by a bench, reading a book. Birds were eating pieces of bread by her feet. Unlike yesterday she wears a simple pink mini dress with her hair loose once again, the sun hitting her head which she didn’t seem to mind. Her eyes were closed the minute Gin took a picture. 

Running to the office, Gin walked straight to the Black Lizard meeting room. She felt the dread creeping up in her stomach again seeing the empty presence of her former superior. The masked young adult felt her gaze linger on the couch where Higuchi sat down, giving orders. 

She slammed her hand onto the table, gaining the only person in the room’s attention; Tachihara Michizō. He got startled and glared at Gin, his brows furrowed. “What the hell Gin?! I was in the middle of something!” 

Gin rolled her eyes, she showed him the picture of the woman. Tachihara blinked. Grabbing the picture, he looked over it more carefully. “Who is she?” 

“Gin saw her yesterday on the way back home,” Akutagawa explained as he walked over towards them, having not caught sight of the woman unless he counted the way Gin grabbed onto his arm and tugging it that hard that it felt like it was going to get ripped off. “She is a new face around here, for obvious reasons.” 

Finally, Gin said the longest sentence she had ever said. “A beautiful woman that brings the light from the sun into great light, a beauty amongst the flowery lilies and the essence of a princess.” 

“Are you really Gin?” Tachihara asked, grabbing her shoulder and shaking her a bit. 

“She always had a thing for blondes.” Akutagawa lightly coughed in his hand, turning to sit down on the couch. Gin on the other hand was in la-la-land. 

“I saw her on the way over here too~!” She showed the picture of the beauty once again. “She looks so beautiful!” 

“Her eyes are closed in both, how do you know it is the same person?” Tachihara questioned. He had a blush on his face as he looked at both pictures. 

“Because the universe is against me!!” Gin cried as she grabbed her fellow commander by the ark and shook him viscously. “I just want to see what are hidden under those meats!” 

“Use better wording!” Tachihara shouted, pushing the assassin away from his face. 

“What is going on?” Hirotsu asked, walking in with his usual calm demeanor. 

Gin grabbed him by the shoulders this time, her inhuman speed making him not startled at all. “Hirotsu-san! I saw a star amongst the heavens! We need to see her again!” 

“Don’t stalk someone you barely know, you lovesick person!” Tachihara scolded, harshly grabbing onto her shoulders. The pictures flew out of his hand. 

Hirotsu quickly grabbed them, looking over the pictures of the beautiful woman. 

“What is up with you?!” Tachihara shouted as both were stumbling on the floor, having a comical fist fight. “You normally get like this!” 

“Ever since I saw that blonde haired beauty when I was a child I am determined to find those beauties again!” Gin shouted as she pulled on his legs, a painful shout coming from his mouth. “I need to see her and burn the image in my head!” 

Tachihara flipped her so that he had her in a chokehold. “Don’t even dare to! You will probably scare the living crap out of her!” 

Hirotsu ignored the two, sensing the power of Rashomon already holding the two from each other’s reach. His eyes looked over the two photos. He feels like he has seen her before; the first outfit sparked some memories but for the rest he is unclear about them both. Until it clicked. 

“I saw her today actually,” Hirotsu announced, seeing the three stop to turn to him. “On my way over here I saw her with a woman accompanying her. I don’t remember many details myself but I do remember them speaking in English.” 

“A foreigner?!” Gin shouted, feeling herself slip away from reality. “I need to find her quickly before she turns into those women with abusive men and will never go back here!” 

Tachihara shouted again, this time a bit louder. “Are you really Gin!?!”

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

The streets are busy again. Which is why Mishima is having a hard time holding back his laughter when she finally showed up. 

Yukio Mishima—Ability: Sea of Fertility—watched how his best friend, Yasunari Kawabata—Ability: Snow Country—is holding onto the many boxes of shoes. Both wear their usual yakuza uniforms, knowing full well that this job had been asked of them by Fumiko Enchi. 

The seventeen year old girl glared daggers at them both with her green eyes, her platinum blonde hair resting on her shoulders as her polished nails are playing with the button of her shirt. A blue vest is resting by her shoulders, black skirt fitting perfectly with her Mary Jane shoes and white knee-socks. “What’s so funny, Mishima?” She asked in broken English. 

“Nothing! I just realized that Cindy-chan has the American taste, unlike what she claims~!” Mishima teases, making Cindy have a vein pop out. 

Kawabata quickly teleported in between them. “Now, now! Let’s get these things in the car and pick up mister Andersen from the airport.” 

The girl, Cindy Sheldon—Ability: Rage of Angels—, merely shrugged and walked further. “So that we are clear, just because the Sheldon family is in contact with the American mob doesn’t mean anything! We are the highest mob in the whole world, don’t forget that!” 

“I hate to admit it but she is right. With oyabun-sama now demanding to have brothels nearby for his sex drive it’s only natural that the Sheldon’s become the best,” Mishima smirked at the petite lady. “In fact, when Kirino-sama will that back her rightful place then you will be my sex toy, right?” 

“I ought to give you a spanking,” Cindy sneered, giving a very unladylike look. “After I made your ass turn into a red light I will slice you into pieces and put you by the meat table!” 

“Oho~! Such a terrifying threat from the girl who had dated three women, disgusting~!” 

“Hah?! Are you still jealous that I had three girls more than you ever had? I remember how you made a bet that if I could gain the heart of three women that you would be my sugar daddy!” 

“Oya, oya! What a very weird bet! I wonder who made that, my future slut!” 

From behind the two, Kawabata is blushing lightly knowing that those two will never stop. Why must Kobayashi-sensei teach him the wonders of infidelity at a later age of eighteen? 

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

“Lemon colored hair?” Chuuya asked, his hat now gone so that he can run his fingers through. “Aren’t you sure it’s just blonde?” 

“It is now a different set!” Kajii shouts. Raising his lemon up he continued his rant. “This one has pure lemon in it!” 

Kouyou rolled her eyes, not into whatever shit her friend is trying to pull here. She is already having a bad day. Because of the little alliance the yakuza has with the Mafia, Kouyou has to deal with important things that Higuchi had done for the mafia behind her back. Just as she had taken the contract with the boss she also had taken vigilantly jobs that only she could solve as the former heir. When she and Chuuya read every report they knew then that Higuchi simply did the jobs the boss didn’t let them do, all for the sake for Yokohama and Ōsaka. 

Kouyou cursed herself for not noticing anything that this girl was doing! She was being attracted to a spider’s web and got stuck in there. The documents that Ace held were all being replaced by the boss’ orders for when the yakuza tried to look for them. Not only that but she was the one member that was the closets to him in the Cannibal incident. Basically paralyzing his body for a bit so that his heartbeat goes up. 

Just how stupid could she be for not noticing?! 

“Do you have a picture of her?” Chuuya asked his drinking buddy. 

“I do! Albeit she closed her eyes I still managed to find the perfect yellow!” 

Chuuya and Kouyou turned to the picture of the woman; a beautiful one. Long blonde hair resting on her shoulders while slender arms held onto a few books. A few leaves came into view, looking like a model. Chuuya has to admit that she did look beautiful having a little blush on his face. 

Kouyou eyes the girl with curiosity. A cute one yes and also one that is described as bright lemons. Kajii pulled him phone away from them and to his face making a kissy face. “Such a beauty amongst the different lemons, only the scientific creature known as god could describe her. A golden haired angel!” 

“So when did you manage to take that picture?” Kouyou asked, a little bit interested in the woman. 

“She was in front of the headquarters this morning, I was watching her for three hours before commander Gin took pictures of her,” Kajii explained as he put his phone away and instead took out pictures of the blonde haired beauty again. This time she is sitting on a bench, her back turned to them and instead having Gin in view. “Seems like she caught her eyes on her two. HOWEVER I have seen her first so that means I can make pictures of her!” 

Chuuya sighed, filling his cup with wine again. “Even for the Port Mafia that a sounds a bit too much like a stalker.” 

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

With the Armed Detective Agency, the topic of the woman went through differently. 

“A blonde haired beauty?” Kunikida asked, already done with his work and taking a sip of his coffee. 

“Yeah~!” Naomi squealed as she showed him the picture of the woman. Blonde hair loose and wearing a white blouse, blue skirt with lemon print. “I saw her today when I almost lost Nii-sama. She looked so beautiful I forgot what I was doing!” 

Tanizaki looked a bit pale. Naomi on the other hand is sparkling. “Kunikida-san please can we look for her?” 

The idealist sighed. He is free today and his schedule is free and if he is going to repay Naomi for buying him his medication then this is the perfect way. “Of course. I will accompany you. How about you, Tanizaki-san?” 

The illusionist blinked. “Oh, I’m good. You two go on ahead, I will just enjoy myself here.” 

Naomi looks worried but she grabbed Kunikida’s hand and dragged him towards the door. 

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

That afternoon three groups began their investigation; 

Team Black Lizards, which consisted of Akutagawa Ryuunosuke, his little sister Gin, Tachihara Michizō and Hirotsu Ryūrō, are now standing in the district all wearing casual clothes. 

Team Gecko, which consisted of Nakahara Chuuya, Ozaki Kouyou and Motojiro Kajii, are now standing there with their usual work clothes. 

The last group are Naomi and Kunikida who only walked in a straight line compared to the two other groups who were busy thinking of a plan to ambush the woman. 

The most determined here was obviously Gin who has her hair tied up in a ponytail, casually wearing a white shirt with a silver cross on it, black skirt and a cap. Tachihara just went with a nice dark red tank top, blue knee-length pants and white sneakers. Akutagawa still wore his coat the same way Hirotsu wore his. 

“You sure she is here? A lot of people come here everyday,” Tachihara asked, looking over the crowds. 

Gin nodded. “I already scanned the whole area as I traced her footsteps. If my calculations are correct then she should arrive here any minute now!” 

Tachihara raised his eyebrow at the usual silent girl. “Why are you obsessed with blondes again?” 

Gin turned to him with a serious expression. “They look better than you.” 

A vein popped out of his head, fist ready when she pulled them all behind a tree. “She is coming!” 

Hirotsu and Akutagawa merely sat down on the bench, eyes on the….beautiful woman walking out of the book store. Her long blonde hair shining gold, and her fair skin glowing with the sun. Tachihara felt his body beginning to burn a few degrees while Gin is holding onto his arm. 

“Beautiful…” Tachihara whispered, his cheeks becoming pink. 

“I told you right!” No matter how you look at it she is beautiful!” Gin fangirled, hiding behind the tree. 

Hirotsu has to admit that she did indeed look beautiful like the first time they met. “She is indeed hard not to notice.” 

Akutagawa merely coughed his hand, hiding the blush that is creeping up his pale skin. 

“She is going that way!” Tachihara and Gin walked towards her direction, completely forgetting Akutagawa and Hirotsu. 

With Team Gecko the same reactions were given when the blonde beauty walked past them. 

“She is real,” Chuuya gasped, floating up with his gravity. 

Kouyou hides her agape mouth with her sleeve. “And isn’t even using make up.” 

Kajii on the other hand is raising two melons. “Let’s render her pathway so I can propose.” 

Chuuya smacked his head. “DONT BOTHER HER WITH YOUR DELUSIONS!” 

Kunikida and Naomi only gawked as the woman stopped in front of them, bowing down before looking up smiling. “Thank you for protecting my sister.” 

The two stood frozen as she walked past them. 

Is—

Is she—?! 

Is this a dream!!?

The only thing that made the Port Mafia stalker squad stop for a second was Kunikida calling out Naomi’s name. She had apparently passed out, face so red as a tomato. 

Apparently that quick look away from her made it easy for her to escape and walk off. It left the two squads in a mist of confusion as they all searched for the blonde woman, not even a hair was found leaving Gin and Kajii to cry in their own tears. 

So call it Chuuya’s surprise when he walked to Headquarters. 

Chuuya sighed as he arrived at work that morning. He caught sight of the beautiful woman again, this time with the second person in the picture. Having them side by side looked like something Leonardo Da Vinci would have made. 

Ignoring the two, Chuuya walked towards the doors were it not for that exact woman to also walk towards him. 

He stopped and turned to her, his eyebrow raised at her sudden appearance and beauty. 

“Good morning, Chuuya-san,” the woman greeted, bowing to him. “It’s been a while.” 

Her voice, those eyes and not t forget the knowledge of his name….

Chuuya half choked as the sight of vision began to change to her hair up in a bun, brown eyes and tough yet scared expression on. His eyebrow twitched. 

It made sense. 

She recovered but that fucking fast?! 

“Higuchi?!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently it is this October thing going on. I will participate myself and I’m working on little ideas that I scrapped and will put in this. Some of them being of my queen Higuchi and some of other members. As such Growing Ups will be on hold for a few days, sorry all. 
> 
> However after the stories will will continue how our lovely yakuza girl is doing as the Port Mafia’s pet. I will hope you are all up to date 😌☺️


	15. An Occupation That Actually Suits Her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higuchi Natsuko has her first day as a fully fledged Mafia member. How will her life be for now?

Rubies. Gold. Onyx.

Chuuya felt like he is staring at her for way too long. The two are now in the office of the Port mafia, no longer wearing the usual uniform. Instead she wearing a white undershirt, black jacket, black booty shorts, a grey waist coat, black knee boots and to add the new outfit a katana that is by her waist.

She stood there dutifully, ignoring the gasps she got from Elise or the sound of Tachihara barely breathing as he stands behind his former superior. She didn’t mutter much nor did she play with her hair, in fact she almost felt like a statue was it not for Mori patting her head like she was a puppy.

“Our newest member Higuchi Natsuko will join our ranks. Unlike Ichiyo who was a superior she is our pet, as such you must all make sure she is gently being taken care off,” Mori announced, smiling to Elise. “She will be here in the office a lot, and as always she will accompany any of you on missions for the rest of the day.”

Chuuya watched how Higuchi bowed to him, a straight and not so fidgety bow. Not even remotely fast or even too slow; the perfect pace and timing for the weapon of the yakuza. She rose up again, her eyes did not blink nor did she flinch. She only looked at Chuuya—or his soul. Whichever it was it scared him.

Remembering how Higuchi introduced herself back then compared to now he remembered she somehow gave an unjustified timing. He too was curious why she stayed the longest by the boss’ side or why she was the one who always gets called out more often or not. As casual as it sounds, now knowing that she took vigilante jobs—which were not given to him—it made him wonder more about her.

Did she have any other interest next to taking jobs which were not assigned to him? Is she really in love with Akutagawa or does she only admire his reputation? Just how much bloodlust can this girl show? Just how much does she care for them?

“Now then, for today’s assignment,” Mori turned to Higuchi and handed her a bunch of papers. “Higuchi will explain this too you. She is more experienced in this.”

“Understood, Master,” Higuchi said receiving the papers and turning to them. Handing each one a paper, the ability user explained the situation.

“A newly created drug in Osaka has been made.” She no longer spoke in such a strong voice, merely a void of emotion while her crimson eyes looked at each and every single one of them. Chuuya felt that she ignored him unpurpose because once it went towards him she turned to her paper.

“The drug is green colored, combined with the deadly dose of Xanax it can create a drug that will slowly kill anyone after half a spoon,” Higuchi pointed at her neck. “The veins will literally pop stoping the blood from transferring to the head, killing the brain and ultimately the heart.”

“Has it been given to anyone yet?” Hirotsu asked, the only one still capable of talking.

“Yes.” Higuchi nodded.

“Who exactly?” Tachihara asked. “This type of drug has not been made public yet and from hearing the description.”

“Only one survived the usage of the drug, the fact that anyone outside of Osaka could have known about this is zero procent,” Higuchi explained. “Not only that but the yakuza had purposely ignored this drug after the first test experiment failed, the person had to endure three surgeries and six weeks long recovery.”

“Who exactly?” Akutagawa asked, tucking the papers in his coat.

“I was the first test subject of the drug,” Higuchi answered like she was talking about the weather.

The silence that followed somehow made Chuuya feel more angry when Higuchi turned towards the desk. “These are the bottles you will use to contain the drug.” She handed over the objects.

The group went away, feeling some unfamiliarity with the situation at hand. Akutagawa felt the most when Higuchi stayed there like a statue, not moving in the slightest.

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

“Master, the cake that you asked for,” Higuchi announced, carrying three boxes with cheesecake.

“Ah, thank you, Higuchi-kun. Place them near the other ones,” Mori ordered pointing to Elise who is still eating a strawberry cake.

The ability stopped eating to watch how the girl placed each box down, opening for her to see the delicious delicacy. Blue eyes sparkled as the former yakuza heir placed the last cake. “Higuchi-kun, cut the cake in six pieces, please!”

Higuchi nodded, her thumb slightly unsheathing the katana. “Understood.” In a flash, the cake was cut in six pieces, each one perfectly cut. Elise marveled at how fast it was for the sword to go back to the sheathe.

“You're really fast with that,” Kouyou comments as she enters the room. Higuchi turned to her with a bow, her golden hair shining as it moved past her shoulder.

The user of Golden Demon raised her hand to touch the golden hair, the silky feeling making Kouyou nod. “Who trained you?”

“My teacher; Ihara Saikaku.” Higuchi answered, not moving as Kouyou lightly moved her shoulders to turn around. Moving the chair under her, Kouyou pushed Higuchi down to sit.

“Is he an ability user?”

“He is. His ability is called The Great Mirror of Love.” Higuchi felt her hair being put out of her ponytail, twitching a bit as her nails were tickling her scald.

“What does it do?”

“It reflects the person you have fallen in love with. I myself had never once won against Shishou in a one-on-one fight.”

Kouyou frowned at the information. She was curious about who had taught her those fast skills to the point that nobody could detect it. Not only that but her acting skills are perfect, beautiful for assassination. Maybe she isn’t such a hassle—if she played her cards right.

“I actually want to go out today, you wouldn’t mind to accompany me?” Kouyou asked, remembering how cute Higuchi looked with her hair down.

“Understood. Do you want me to drive you?”

“That would be appreciated, yes.”

Elise frowned. “No fair! Higuchi is going to accompany me to that cake shop!” Higuchi only felt Elise grad into her arm, yanking her towards the ability.

“Oh my, did Higuchi-chan usually accompany you?” Kouyou asked, her mouth hidden behind her sleeve.

“Of course! When she stops acting like an overly obsessive underclassmen she is very nice to hang out with!” Elise shouts. “Compared to the usual one where work was her top priority this one only cares for others.”

“Even so, I saw her yesterday and she needs more than just a sundress in mid-autumn.”

Higuchi felt a blush on her face. She was aware that she has stalkers for her natural appearance, but to think that the Port Mafia has stalked her as well. Does she look that different?

“Higuchi?” Elise turned to her, the twenty-six year old also turning to the twenty year old. A blush had spread on her cheeks, her left free hand going to her hot skin. She averted their gazes.

‘Cute.’ The two thought as Higuchi turned away from them fully, Elise still holding onto her arms. She turned back around, looking stoic as usual only a hint of red on her cheeks. “I suppose that the two of you need to decide before I depart with you—.”

“Shopping.”

“........understood, Vita Sexualis, Ozaki-sama.”

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

When it came to fashion, Higuchi was the worst at it. Because she had less time fussing over what type of kimono she had to wear on meetings and more time to worry about which minor gang would be so stupid to try and hunt down the yakuza, Higuchi’s sense of fashion always depended.

Kouyou could confirm if it was not for her help then Higuchi would have looked like she belonged by a funeral. She looked cute back then but with the revelation about her long hair and red eyes, Higuchi was more scared about what type of clothing store they had to go into.

She doesn’t hate wearing dresses or the thought of it, it was just the fact that her more natural beauty was out. It was rather ironic how her aunt has the exact same problem as her. She is amazing at looking like a monster but when it comes to wearing clothes she is the worst of the worst.

Sawako had it worse than her. She was a horror doctor that always had blood stained on her clothing, leaving only her face. Sometimes she would do her human experiments without clothes, exposing the blood on her skin. Higuchi could relate together with her aunt why their skin was so soft because of the human blood that was sprayed on them. Just like the blood countess, the three women had the most softest skin in the whole organization.

Enchi was different. She actually used products to keep her skin soft. Sometimes Higuchi wonders or the two could get along. No way. That could never happen. Enchi hates her even if she was dead and she sees no reason to be with her in a million years.

As Ichiyo however Higuchi remembers how much she tried the same products. The result was not really that great as her skin felt a bit different. Instead of soft they felt hard and uneven. She was lucky that there was a special task force for her that cleans te blood away or else she would have had complaints from anyone near her.

“We’re here!” Elise announces as she dragged Higuchi into the clothing store. While Higuchi was physically stronger then her it couldn’t be denied how foolish it would be for her to not join shopping. After all, Vita Sexualis is the boss’ ability.

Higuchi didn’t want to look up and see the giant building where she had her confrontation with the boss. It was foolish of her to do so but she just needed confirmation that what he was doing was safe. After all, Ace had died and the thought of the boss dying scared her.

“Good morning miss, what could I do for you today?” A worker asked, turning to Kouyou while Elise dragged Higuchi to some dresses at the other side.

“Yes. The daughter of my boss wants to help her cousin wear more clothes. You see, she is such a workaholic that she only wears two uniforms everyday for work,” Kouyou explained, pointing to the now Elise-carrying Higuchi, her eyes looking awkwardly anywhere but the highheels.

“I see,” the worker mumbled. “In that case we should start with just casual wear first before slowly going to summer wear. She is a really pretty woman, so I’m sure that anything would fit her.”

“I hope so too. Yesterday she wore such a cute lemon dress I couldn’t help but marvel.”

“Lemon dress? Come to think of it I saw a beautiful woman yesterday walking past us, she looked so beautiful I thought she was a model.”

“Blonde hair and red eyes, I assume?”

“Yes! How did you—!”

The worker slowly turned to Higuchi who put off her ponytail to show off her length. Elise scolds her about getting better material to tie it up. Kouyou watched how the worker began to tear up.

“It was the only day that she wore something cute,” Kouyou added, making the woman run towards the unsuspected girl.

“Higuchi, what should we begin with?” Elise asked, curiously looking through the shorts.

“Anything that you desire, Vita SexualiiiiIIIIIISSSSS!!!”

Elise turned just in time to see the woman dragging Higuchi away in a corner, grabbing three dresses. Elise blinked before waiting patiently for her bodyguard to come out.

After three hours of putting on clothes, the two women held contact with each other for another shopping trip. Elise watched how Higuchi is so white like paper that it took time before she could walk. Carrying every single bag and box she could carry, Higuchi put the clothes in the car.

“Where would you like to go next?” Higuchi asked, her hair a bit disheveled.

“The cake shop!” Elise shouted, grabbing Higuchi by the hand.

“I suggest another clothing store will do. This time more traditional Japanese,” Kouyou grabbed tightly on Higuchi’s arm. Her nails going through her sleeves.

“Cake shop!”

“Clothing store!”

Higuchi turned extra pale. “I’m certain that Vita Sexualis had asked for the cake right after the first dress. I’m certain that we could go to the clothing store at a later date.”

Elise smiled victoriously as Kouyou let go. Higuchi gave a sigh of relief as she got dragged to the sweet shop, rather not wanting to get involved with another clothing attack.

Inside the shop, Higuchi had looked for a table where the two of them could sit while she stood. Albeit that the two were more eager to have her join them, Higuchi would rather watch how her superiors were enjoying their meal without her. It was for the best.

“Higuchi! Try this, try this!” Elise whined, grabbing onto her sleeve like a little child.

“Understood.” Was the only response. She bent down to eat the macaroon, giving her opinion that would satisfy the ability user. Some of the bodyguards that were watching could hardly believe she was still the same person, not even thinking that the killing machine that supposedly died years ago is now here.

“Ah! That was delicious!” Elise smiled as she is now in Higuchi’s arms. She is about the same height as Chuuya which makes her easy to walk with. “We should go to another cake store!”

Higuchi only nodded absentmindedly for her.

Luckily enough the three came back to headquarters just in time to see Chuuya arriving back with more containers than needed. He watched how Higuchi set them all down in Kouyou’s office, Elise still is on her shoulders.

“Went out shopping?” Chuuya asked as Higuchi set down the last bag.

“Yep! Higuchi looked so pretty in those dresses!” Elise cheered while the woman only stood still. Chuuya noticed that she looked past him to the containers.

“The drugs seemed to be of so much value that they were keen to hide it. If they are, the real deal depends,” Chuuya watched how Higuchi places Elise down.

“Considering how much the yakuza don't want anything to do with them it is only natural that The Third Generation are going after me.”

“Third Generation?” Chuuya raises his eyebrow.

Higuchi only grabbed a vile of the green liquid. Chuuya waited for her to give a verdict—

—only to yell when she removed the lid and drank it whole.

“Oi, Higuchi!” Chuuya grabbed her arm, already too late when everything was empty.

“It’s okay.” She turned to him, her voice and posture not changed. “This is fake. They have an ability user in their ranks that can change anything if she touches it. Knowing that, the Black Lizards need to be sent out again for another round if their containment’s are fake as well.”

“How do you know if it is real or not?” Chuuya questioned, crossing his arms.

“My arms should have been limp by now, my heart would have stopped beating and I would have cried blood.”

Elise only shivered seeing the image in her head.

Chuuya only frowned at the containment he had. “Are you going to taste everything?”

“If that is what you desire of me.” Higuchi turned to him, her fingers tipping to the side of the vile.

“Just don’t overdo it. We need you alive after all the crap we went through just to make you breathe,” Chuuya ordered.

“Understood, Nakahara-sama.”

For some reason the way she ignored the way how she usually talked made him shiver. The more human acting woman that always worried for Akutagawa’s health was gone in favor of this robot.

“Higuchi~! Let’s go already! I want to eat that cake we bought for Chuuya!” Elise whined as she dragged Higuchi and Chuuya towards her room.

“Understood, Vita Sexualis.”

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

“Six pieces please!”

*slash

Chuuya blinked when Higuchi sheathed her katana and stood guard as Elise ate her food. Chuuya handed her his coat and hat which she placed by the hanger, coming back again to pour in tea for the both of them.

“Chuuya, Chuuya! Did you know that Higuchi looks super sexy in a bikini?” Elise asked innocently even when Chuuya half spit out his drink. Higuchi turned slightly red, although not too much.

“Really? Never knew,” Chuuya thought back about their first beach trip and her saying that she had something else to do, so he never really saw her in a bikini or anything.

Elise nodded. “Yep! She tried the school swimsuit more than the usual black bikini and then the usual too much exposed bikini.”

Chuuya glanced to Higuchi who didn’t move much, only standing there with some tinted cheeks. Her eyes looked at the table, not moving at all.

“Is that why Ane-san demanded to have a few members of the mafia make a frame?”

Steam began to come out of her face, her hand going to her face to try and hide it. Chuuya has to admit that she looked cute.

“Don’t worry Higuchi,” Elise turned to her. “You are my favorite dress up doll so anything embarrassing is only in my possession!”

“That gives me great reassurance, Vita Sexualis.”

Chuuya continued the tea party, sometimes asking Higuchi for more cake. Eventually he had to go now to get the actual containments. Higuchi cleaned the plates and walked with Elise towards her office, the boss looking over Yokohama. Waiting for the report.

“Anything of concern, Higuchi-kun?” Mori asked as Elise went to his side.

“The Third Generation are aware that I am no longer part of the yakuza and are now going against the mafia because I am here, I apologize.”

“It’s okay. To know that a minor organization that survived your wrath is still alive and trying to kill you speaks volumes. You are fit for the mafia,” Mori smiled to her, his purple eyes staring into her red ones.

She looked to the window where she saw her reflection. The reflection of the bun wearing, brown eyed woman is gone in favor of the killing machine that promised not to kill anyone if she was ordered too. Yet, here she is now following the orders of a man she begged to enter the Port Mafia for Ellen’s sake. Just to get his eyes set on her.

Andersen’s blue eyes always made her feel real.

“Higuchi-kun, about the drug that we are now looking at, since you are now fully part of the mafia, you will investigate this on your own.”

“Even so, I am merely a pet. Even the low ranked members of the mafia could do better—.”

Mori turned to her, a smirk on his face. “Whoever said that you were to those low ranked members?”

|•|_/¥\\_|•|

Higuchi walked past many members of the mafia towards her former office where the Black Lizards used to wait for her orders, now she is waiting for their orders.

A veteran mafioso, Hirotsu maintains a stoic, calm demeanor, often speaking with a certain degree of respect and formality towards even his opponents and targets. However, Hirotsu's brutality, beguiled by his composure, hasn't waned despite his age.

Befitting of the Port Mafia's higher ranks, Hirotsu's a ruthless and dangerous individual, and won't hesitate to kill in order to further their gains. Furthermore, he isn't above mocking others before killing them, sometimes with a smile. His experience in the Port Mafia leaves him particularly seasoned in its expectations of him and others, and as such expect diligence and promptness out of his subordinates. Otherwise, he has no qualms threatening their lives to keep them in line, especially when it comes to Gin Akutagawa and Michizō Tachihara's quarrels.

Hirotsu's nonchalance towards the Port Mafia's violent ways goes as far as his smoking habits, as he claims a cigarette always tastes best after "a job well done".

That said, Hirotsu takes his role and duty to the Port Mafia seriously. He values loyalty and ambition, specifically in Higuchi's case, when she insisted to save Ryunosuke Akutagawa from a rival organization. Although initially ridiculing her impulsive behavior, he respected her initiative and sense of duty, thus partaking in the rescue mission alongside Gin and Tachihara. Despite these facts, he seems to not harbor strong grudges against those who have defected from the Mafia, such as when he was seen willingly doing a favor for Dazai during the events of the Guild incident and speaking to him about it afterward.

His dedication to the Mafia has also been hinted to be towards the organization itself rather than its leader(s), evidenced from when he confronted Ōgai Mori about the conspiracy behind the former Boss' death and confided in him that the predecessor's murder was for the best lest Yokohama is turned into a blood bath and dragging down the Port Mafia down with it, despite the latter's defensive response. He also uttered "My soul is forever with the Port Mafia" before his supposed demise during his confrontation with a Hunting Dog.

Despite his strict nature, Hirotsu is notoriously protective of and caring towards his subordinates with Dazai noting that he is well known for "not getting rid of his subordinates easily" and being well-liked by several in the Mafia for this fact. He's protective and caring nature is shown particularly strongly towards his battalion leaders such as when he blasted Tanizaki for attempting to cut Gin and when he expressed relief that Tachihara had escaped from his confrontation with the Hunting Dogs safely. And also when Higuchi breathed again after getting poisoned.

As such, Higuchi wasn’t surprised when she saw him in the office. Tachihara and Gin nowhere to be found.

“Good day, Higuchi-kun. You wouldn’t mind if the two of us would have a little walk?”

“If that is what you desire, Hirotsu-sama.”

The two for that are now sitting opposite of each other in a tea room only rooms away from the garden. A place which Higuchi was never allowed to go as a not fully fledged member of the mafia.

“How is your health doing, Higuchi-kun?” Hirotsu asked as he watched how the blonde pour tea into his cup.

“Organs have now properly healed but master doesn’t allow me to go on missions yet. Because my endurance is very much more inhuman compared to others, it took master some time before he could fully diagnose me.”

“What about your cousin?”

“I doubt that Sawako has any time to be with me right now. While I’m here trying to properly blend in with the character I created she is dealing with a divorce and the aftermath of aunt Kirino’s memory erasure. I have no time for that.”

“Your former assistance?”

“Nakarai-san is someone I greatly admire. No one in the world could ever make me think he would be bad against me. He was literally a walking single dad when we were kids.”

Hirotsu chuckled at her complaint. “I had a few conversations with him. He doted on you a lot.”

Higuchi turned away with a pout. “Yeah. Thinking back on it, when The White Ones attacked me I could vaguely remember him being there. But I suppose that is hard to contradict considering I was using my ability.”

“The ability to paralyze anyone you touch or come near, right? An ideal ability for the mafia.”

Higuchi watched how Hirotsu poured her a cup of tea. “You really impressed me with your talents, Higuchi-kun.”

“You know I was awake in the hospital. You don’t need to tell me how impressed you are.”

Hirotsu chuckled, taking a sip from his tea. Higuchi stares at her cup before bringing it to her lips.

“My blood is yakuza red, for it to become mafia black I need to do my best.”

Hirotsu watched how Higuchi smiled a bit, the thought of her changing brought some happy moments how exactly Ellen told her those exact words.

“But I suppose, effort is more important and the results will come later?”

The thought of changing a bit made her smile a bit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ihara Saikaku was a Japanese poet and creator of the "floating world" genre of Japanese prose. His ability is named after The Great Mirror of Male Love. His other most famous work is The Life of an Amorous Woman; the plot is about a man of the world who lives in the capital city Kyoto travels to Saga, a suburban district of Kyoto, with some friends. They meet an old woman who lives in a grass hut and listen to the story of her life experiences. She was born as the daughter of a family of court nobles, but lost her privileged status and fell through the ranks of both the nobility and the pleasure quarters; first as the mistress of a daimyō, then as a courtesan, and then finally as a common streetwalker. At each stage, the woman tried to free herself from the situations she found herself in, but was trapped by her own nature causing her to fail.  
> Which is something Higuchi is doing right now.


	16. The Catfish And The Phantom

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Higuchi Natsu and Izumi Kyōuka are going somewhere together, will they be okay with it? Or will friendship happen?

Outside the Port Mafia dealing with the aftermath of the yakuza incident, the Armed Detective Agency is still dealing with some critical information about Natsu’s DNA comparing it to Higuchi. Not only that, but after finding out that the most beautiful woman Naomi ever met is the same woman who gunned her down near death, she was wondering how Natsu would look like in a sundress and hair down. 

The result was as she had suspected; she looked super cute. 

Standing there with a white sundress that reaches her knees, a mini purse that completes the look is Higuchi Natsu. Next to her is Izumi Kyouka who is only wearing her maid outfit, both looking like a roll play of a maid asking her customer what she would like to order with the little notebook and pen in hand. 

Naomi squealed in delight while Atsushi made pictures for her. Yosano and Ranpo overlooking the two teenagers and how much the two have a two centimeter height difference. Dazai and Kunikida are arguing (more the latter then the former), Tanizaki and Kenji are holding onto the other dresses that Naomi forced Natsu to wear. 

A whole fashion show was made for the fifteen year old. The only one that stood out though is the cat outfit. 

“You look really cute in those cat ears, Natsu-chan,” Atsushi smiled with his own tiger ears. Natsu blushed lightly seeing her reflection. 

“I’m more of a dog person but they do look cute on me.” The two giggled a bit at sight of the tail twitching. 

“Maybe dog ears would look cute?” Atsushi asked, holding up the pair of ears. 

“Dogs are malicious animals which are annoying.” 

The two sweatdropped as Kyouka stepped in between the two, having cat ears on top of her head. Her voice is clear and her eyes are glaring in between the two. She still is wearing her maid outfit, her hands almost ripping apart the notebook. 

“They can be cute if you are nice,” Natsu sighed, her eyes looking at Kyouka. “It just depends who you are on the inside.” 

“Dogs are disgusting.” 

“Then they find you disgusting.” 

“Dogs have no rational mind.” 

“Then they find you having no rational mind.” 

The two continued making the were-tiger being the only reminder that the two need to not voice so much. Eventually the two got the president’s attention who only stared at the three cat wearing ability users, taking three pictures with his phone before turning away from them towards his room to his cat obsessed room. 

Finally wearing her school uniform again, which consists of a white buttoned up shirt and black skirt. Her hair is pulled in a ponytail while her tie is a bit messed up. “Are you going to school now, Natsu-san?” 

“No. My school is still recovering from the whole Guild fiasco. But wearing my uniform feels nice, to take my mind off things and stuff,” Natsu smiled at Tanizaki who smiled at her back. 

“I get you. Naomi’s school isn’t allowing any students on campus until they fully recover.” 

“Hmm. Sounds horrible.” 

Kyōuka frowned as she stood in between the two. Both seemed to notice her but whatever gave her a foul mood would be best not to point out. 

“Anyway, I want to thank all of you for saving my sister. Had it not been for any of you, then Onee-chan would have been executed by Enchi-sama,” Natsu turned to Kenji, who smiled at her. “Also, I’m sorry for what she did.” 

“It’s okay. Her ability is rather powerful, I can see why the Yakuza is very much powerful.” 

“Compared to Kawabata or Shishou she is one of the strongest,” Natsu giggled. Tanizaki scratched his neck remembering how low she spoke of Higuchi. 

“About that. I heard that Higuchi-san killed Fumiko-san’s sister,” Tanizaki watched how Natsu stopped bringing the tea to her lips. Atsushi and Kyōuka looked a bit too serious for the next question being asked; “How many people inside the family did Higuchi-san kill?” 

Natsu tapped her chin. “About twelve.” 

“So many?!” Naomi half shouted, quickly covering her mouth when Kunikida glared at her. 

“Back then Isamu-sama wanted no rivals or traitors. I only heard stories of how the Fumiko family was being ripped away from the outside world and forced to live in the main house. To be honest the only thing I know is that both Onee-sama and Sawako-chan used the bodies as part of Onee-sama’s persona.” 

Kyōuka could already imagine the two ability users next to each other, their faces blackened and their eyes being red like their blood. “They used her brown eyes to cover the red ones, they removed the coloring of her hair to create a less blonde color which failed because of our genes. In the end nothing much changed other than her eyes.” 

The group stayed silent. At one end they understood why Fumiko wanted to kill Higuchi and Ariyoshi but at the same time the two girls were raised in a dysfunctional household. 

“Enchi-sama isn’t the only one who wants to kill my sister. A whole organization named The Third Generation wants her dead. Hiding between the lines of the Port Mafia while at the same time ignoring the warning signs that they were close was a stupid decision. However, I’m not one to judge Onee-sama when it comes to that.” 

“However the amount of deaths she created is unjustified,” Kyōuka comments. 

“I know that. She is seeking guidance from anyone straying her away from that path. She does not understand the reasoning of her own humanity,” Natsu replied, indifferent with her behavior. 

“No such thing as straying away from that path fits the M.O with the Port Mafia. They continue to kill regardless. I never once killed anyone until I was part of the Port Mafia,” Kyōuka let her blue eyes go to Natsu’s brown ones. 

“Thirty-five people is easy to let go off compared to a thousand,” Natsu narrowed her eyes to the smaller girl. 

“Still you can change.” 

“Change isn’t as easy as you may think, killer of thirty-five.” 

Tanizaki feels like he accidentally pressed a button because the mood quickly changed. The bubbly and kind Natsu is now glaring daggers at the shy and gentle Kyōuka. Murder intent coming from them both although Kyōuka has more because Natsu just raised her eyebrow. 

Dazai watched the two glancing at Atsushi who is the only reason the two averted their eyes. He smirked, a knowing look. “So she was right.” 

“So Natsu-chan,” Kenji said, making the blonde turn to him. “Are you going to school now?” 

Natsu remained silent for a while. Kyōuka glanced at her. “Depends or my sister will let me. With Enchi-sama now going on a malicious manhunt for my sister it would be for the best to not go, but again that depends.” 

“That’s a good point,” Ranpo comments. “But I suppose we have to give you a promotion for giving me such a nice case.” 

“Didn’t you finish it? Can’t you say it's closed?” 

“No way. This case is not closed yet. One mystery still is not yet solved, so I, The great detective, will solve it.” 

Natsu raised her eyebrow, blinking in confusion. “Okay?” 

“Say, Natsu-chan?” Dazai asked, making the blonde turn to him. “Because you have nothing to do can you do something for me?” 

“Sure, what is it?” Natsu walks towards him. He raised a file case to her, which she accepted. 

“Can you do this case for me?” 

The room became silent before they shouted the same word. 

“WHAT?!!” 

“Just this one case for me. You see, my plans for today are packed with information about your mother and her involvement in a crime. It is a simple case, I’m sure you have seen more than once.” 

Natsu blinked, staring at her case confused. “Um, but I’m not that skilled in riddles, or puzzles or anything related to an escape room.” 

“I know. Which is why Kyōuka-chan will join you,” Dazai smiled. 

“What?” Kyōuka and Atsushi gasped. 

“Oi, Dazai, are you nuts?!” Kunikida shouted, grabbing his partner. “She is a fifteen year old girl who isn’t even part of the agency! We can’t just let her take the case.” 

“Relax, Kunikida-kun, I know what she can and can’t do. Natsu-chan is a good catfish.” 

Apparently that made the girl silent as she looked over the case file in her hands. “Fine. As long as I have a senpai to work with I’m good.” 

“Oh no you don’t!” Kunikida raised his voice again. “Not only is she not an agent she was a former client!” 

“It’s alright,” Fukuzawa said entering the room. Everyone stood up at the sight of the elderly man. Natsu flinched a bit. “Natsu showed great potential in the case, giving us every needed detail. Not only that but when it came to describing events she was very helpful for us.” 

“Yeah but that’s all she could do,” Kyōuka mumbled under her breath. Luckily enough nobody heard her. 

“So I will have to do this case?” Natsu asked, confused about everything. 

“Yes.” 

Apparently that made both girls flinch as they felt his piercing gaze. 

“Do you even know where to go?” Natsu asked as they entered the station. The two hadn’t said a word nor had they looked at each other in any shape or form. Whatever tension Natsu was being by Kyōuka felt unfair as the girl herself had no idea where the hate came from. 

“I do. Unlike you I have a good memory,” Kyōuka mocked, nose held up high. 

“Okay listen, whatever beef you want to fight with I’m all for it but I need a reason,” Natsu replied, getting annoyed as they walked up the stairs. 

“I just hate it to deal with people with no shame in their actions,” Kyōuka said, without giving any other reason. 

Natsu raised her eyebrow. “What does that have to do with me?” 

They passed a certain fedora wearing man. “I hate you.” 

“For what reason?” Natsu asked, irritated. 

“For your stupidity and ignorance.” 

Natsu sighed as she waited for the train to come. She eventually sat down next to the fedora hat man, ignoring him all together. Kyōuka turned to him however. “Chuuya-san, how are you?” 

“Doing good, Kyōuka-chan,” Chuuya removed his hat and turned to the pale looking Natsu. “Yo.” 

“Y, yo,” Natsu weakly greeted. The mafioso smiled at the little girl. “How are you, mister Nakahara?” 

“I’m good. Your sister is doing extra well. No longer acting like a scared school girl. It feels like I’m actually talking to an adult.” 

“Adult, you say? She sure as hell doesn’t act like one,” Natsu chastised. 

Chuuya chuckled. “Oh yeah, how does she act?” 

“She gets up from bed after I woke her up, takes an hour long bath if she gets too lazy to get up herself, eats the food I make, wears only one piece of clothing every time she sleeps if it is summer in the winter only wearing a red jumpsuit and don’t get me started after work!” Natsu complained, not noticing the train being here. 

Chuuya didn’t seem to notice either, too busy laughing. “I can’t imagine her being that lazy!” 

“She is!” Natsu giggled. “I remember last Christmas that she forgot to wear her work clothes.” 

“Was that the reason she came in late?!” Chuuya asked shocked, now actually too curious how the infamous killing machine is near her sister. 

“Yep! Honestly, sometimes I think she is an idiot for just attempting to try and look nice,” Natsu giggled, not at all noticing how the train left. 

The two froze when the train left, leaving the blonde turning to see her case partner giving a glare. Chuuya glanced at Natsu who looks ready to kill. 

“Are you fucking kidding me?!” 

|◣<•>◢|

The current state of Osaka is the complete opposite of Yokohama. Unlike the city Kyōuka grew up in, this place looks less packed and more empty. Wherever Kyōuka looked, not even one child walked alone or any child was playing. 

The former assassin remained very much silent as she passed by empty shops, libraries and school. Not one place looked packed or filled, almost like they all disappeared in the rain of the night. She didn’t stop knowing that whoever could be watching might attack her. 

“This place..” Kyōuka mumbled, finally coming to her destination. A giant building almost looking like a hospital of sorts. “...is where the last dismemberment was discovered.” 

The body was that of a man, his body was cut into pieces and his head was placed on the entrance of the hospital. The rest of his body was discovered by a nurse who came to check on him, his body cut to pieces with a chainsaw is what the police identified. 

Remembering Dazai saying how both could do it was an underestimation. She could do it fine alone. A crime like this is nothing compared to what Natsu has done. But back to the investigation than on that piece of human trash. 

Dismemberment refers, in general terms, to the act of cutting, tearing, pulling, wrenching or otherwise removing the limbs of a living thing. It has been practiced upon human beings as a form of capital punishment, especially in connection with regicide, but can occur as a result of a traumatic accident, or in connection with murder, suicide, or cannibalism. As opposed to surgical amputation of the limbs, dismemberment is often fatal. In criminology, a distinction is made between offensive dismemberment, in which dismemberment is the primary objective of the dismemberer, and defensive dismemberment, in which the motivation is to destroy evidence.

In 2019, Michael H. Stone, Gary Brucato and Ann Burgess proposed formal criteria by which “dismemberment” might be systematically distinguished from the act of “mutilation,” as these terms are commonly used interchangeably. They suggested that dismemberment involves “the entire removal, by any means, of a large section of the body of a living or dead person, specifically, the head (also termed decapitation), arms, hands, torso, pelvic area, legs, or feet.” Mutilation, by contrast, involves “the removal or irreparable disfigurement, by any means, of some smaller portion of one of those larger sections of a living or dead person. The latter would include castration (removal of the testes), evisceration (removal of the internal organs), and flaying (removal of the skin).” According to these parameters, removing a whole hand would constitute dismemberment, while removing or damaging a finger would be mutilation; decapitation of a full head would be dismemberment, while removing or damaging a part of the face would be mutilation; and removing a whole torso would be dismemberment, while removing or damaging a breast or the organs contained within the torso would be mutilation.

Particularly in South-Eastern Asia, execution by trained elephants was a form of capital punishment practiced for several centuries. The techniques by which the convicted person was executed varied widely but did, on occasion, include the elephant dismembering the victim by means of sharp blades attached to its feet. The Muslim traveller Ibn Battuta, visiting Delhi in the 1330s, has left the following eyewitness account of this particular type of execution by elephants. 

Thus, the imperially approved way to dismember the convict within the Holy Roman Empire was by means of cutting, rather than dismemberment through ripping the individual apart. In paragraph 124 of the same code, beheading prior to quartering is mentioned as allowable when extenuating circumstances are present, whereas aggravating circumstances may allow pinching/ripping the criminal with glowing pincers, prior to quartering.

The fate of Wilhelm von Grumbach in 1567, a maverick knight in the Holy Roman Empire who was fond of making his own private wars and was thus condemned for treason, is also worthy of note. Gout-ridden, he was carried to the execution site in a chair and bound fast to a table. The executioner then ripped out his heart, and stuck it in von Grumbach's face with the words: "von Grumbach! Behold your false heart!" Afterwards, the executioner quartered von Grumbach's body. His principal associate was given the same treatment, and an eyewitness avers (confirms) that after his heart had been ripped out, Chancellor Brück screamed horribly for "quite some time".

One example of a highly aggravated execution is illustrated by the fate of Bastian Karnhars on 16 July 1600. Karnhars was found guilty of 52 separate acts of murder, including the rape and murder of 8 women, and the murder of a child, whose heart he had allegedly eaten for rituals of black magic. To begin, Karnhars had three strips of flesh torn from his back, before being pinched 18 times with glowing pincers, having his fingers clipped off one by one, his arms and legs broken on the wheel, and finally, while still alive, quartered.

Dismemberment is no longer used by most modern governments as a form of execution or torture, though amputation is still carried out in countries that practice Sharia law.

“Guess it’s time to investigate everything from the bottom up,” Kyōuka muttered, walking in. She didn’t seem to notice the figure behind her looking rather angry. 

Stepping inside she immediately knew that something demonic was lurking around. Like in those horror movies she watched with Kenji once the content was filled with so much blood and horror that Kyōuka wanted to watch it again. 

She began her investigation, unknown to the person behind her. 

She stopped, and turned around to see a figure standing there. A woman, bare in her birthday suit and holding an axe. Her long black hair is cluttered with blood. 

“You!” Kyōuka barely missed the axe hitting her. 

The woman is Yayoi, a former medical student who married at age nineteen. “What is someone like you doing here?” 

“Here to confess her crimes,” a female voice said, making Kyōuka turn to her. A woman in her early teens standing there wearing detective clothes. Her eyes are hidden behind glasses and there is a mol under her left. “Isn’t that what a detective does, right?” 

“Who are you?” Kyōuka raised her weapon, eyes glaring daggers at the woman. 

“Kanae Minato,” the woman replied. “My ability is called Confessions. I can see who murdered anyone in their life. Any crime here in Osaka is under my influence and mine alone.” 

“Already telling me your ability sounds foolish,” Kyōuka glared at her, dashing towards her with Demon Snow behind her. 

“Sad because I do like it,” Minato smirked, motioning the corpse to move. The woman raised her axe and ran towards her. 

—only for a foot to hit her. 

“Another one?!” Minato shouted, not expecting a second girl to join in. 

Kyōuka took this to raise her weapon only for the water to grab her and drag her towards a room. 

“You thought that leaving me behind was a smart idea?” Natsu asked, very much annoyed with the girl. “Look at that too, you almost got destroyed by a former yakuza member too.” 

“She is from the yakuza?” Kyōuka asked, still feeling wet from the way Natsu’s water grabbed her. 

“Yeah. Like seriously, she was once a member who just did her own thing and bam, she isn’t a part of it anymore,” Natsu replied. 

“Do you know how to defeat her?” Kyōuka asked, standing up near the girl. 

Natsu scratched her head, a sigh coming afterwards. “I’m not really the type to figure things out but does it help that I know her weakness?” 

The former assassin cupped her chin before nodding, her blue eyes looking into the brown ones. “Go ahead.” 

“She is afraid of ghosts.” 

|◣<•>◢|

Curry was introduced to Japan during the Meiji era (1868–1912), at the time when the Indian subcontinent was under colonial rule by the British Empire. By the 1870s, curry began to be served in Japan, and became a staple within the Japanese diet. It was not until the early twentieth century, when curry was adopted by the Japanese Navy and Army, that the dish began to become popular with the Japanese. After its favorable reception within the Japanese Army and Navy, it later became common in school cafeterias. By 2000, curry was a more frequent meal than sushi or tempura.

Curry similar to that served in the Indian subcontinent is known as Nakamuraya curry. It was introduced to Japan by Rash Behari Bose when he began to sell curry at Nakamura Bakery in Tokyo.

Curry sauce is served on top of cooked rice to make curry rice. Curry sauce is made by frying together curry powder, flour, and oil, along with other ingredients, to make roux; the roux is then added to stewed meat and vegetables, and then simmered until thickened. Pressure cooking can be used as well. Adding potatoes to curry sauce was introduced by William S. Clark of the Sapporo Agricultural College, due to rice shortages at the time.

In Japanese homes, curry sauce is most commonly made from instant curry roux, which is available in block and powder forms, and contains curry powder, flour, oils and various flavorings. Ease of preparation, and the wide variety and availability of instant curry mixes, has made curry rice very popular, as it is very easy to make compared to many other Japanese dishes. Pre-made curry is available in vacuum-sealed bags that can be reheated in boiling water. For those who still make their curry roux from scratch, there are also curry powders specially formulated to create the "Japanese curry" taste.

Instant curry roux was first sold in powder form by House Foods in 1926, and in block form by S&B Foods in 1956. In 2007, Japanese domestic shipments of instant curry roux was 82.7 billion yen.[13] Market share for household use in 2007 was captured almost entirely by House Foods (59.0%), S&B Foods (25.8%) and Ezaki Glico (9.4%). Curry is marketed to children utilizing characters from video games and anime.

Vacuum-sealed curry sauce, prepared by heating the retort pouch in hot water or the microwave, is also popular. As of 2007, curry sauce is the largest single category of vacuum-sealed foods in Japan, making up over 30% of sales.

It was one of Odasaku’s favorite dishes. 

“How is it?” Sawako asked as she walked into the dining room. Her brown hair is loose wearing a white kimono. A towel is around her neck, the purple cloth dryers her wet hair. 

Dazai smiled after he placed the spoon down. “You are a very good cook, a perfect housewife.” 

“Aww! Thank you, Dazai-senpai~! I hope it is as good as you asked for,” Sawako giggled, floating up in the room a bit. “So what do you want to talk about?” 

“Higuchi Natsu, ability: Troubled Waters and a former experiment of yours. Her life span is only twenty four years and she is the one who was the closest to Ellen,” Dazai notes, getting confirmation nods. 

“Yeah, Natsu is also very negative about herself, it becomes rather sad at times,” Sawako puts her towel on the chair and puts her hair up in a ponytail. 

“Izumi Kyōuka, ability: Demon Snow and a former assassin of the Port Mafia who killed thirty-five people,” Sawako smiled. “She has reached the light and is holding onto the light.” 

Dazai turned to her, grabbing some money he handed it to her. “How much for it?” 

“Hold on, Dazai-senpai. You can’t just say that I won without it being official,” Sawako turned to him with a smirk. Her brown eyes held a certain mischief. “How about making it official?” 

Dazai smirked as well, standing up to shake her hand. 

Back with the two girls they are now sitting next to each other, blood coming from their foreheads and their clothes torn a bit from the struggle. 

“Your ability scared the shit out of me,” Natsu groaned, standing up. 

Kyōuka struggles a bit but once Natsu extended her hand the girl accepted it after thinking for a while. “Yours wasn’t any better.” 

“Whatever,” Natsu held her by the waist and hoisted her up, Kyōuka frowned as she was pulled into a bridal style. “Let’s just get out of here before things get difficult.” 

The two (or more one) walk out, seeing how the police already take the two women into custody. Natsu walked towards the train station, her arms getting tired so she set Kyōuka down. 

“Not gonna walk away this time without me?” Natsu asked, adjusting her already torn sleeves. 

“Not until you answer me,” Kyōuka turned to her. “Do you regret killing your mother?” 

Natsu sucked in her breath and turned to her, a sad smile on her face. “Always, I always feel guilty.” 

Kyōuka watched her brown eyes begin to hollow, she was lying. Because she never killed her. She is covering up. 

“I see. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay, buddy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this pair and I will use them in the future


	17. It’s My Job

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “It’s my job, senpai.”

“Izumi Kyōuka, right?” Higuchi asked that morning as she lazily shuffled into the living room of her new home. Her long hair is now messy, some strands over each other. Her legs are exposed only a light blue oversized shirt and shirt red shorts under, barely noticeable with the shirt. 

“Yeah, because you are going to be gone now with that expedition right?” Natsu asked, adjusting her socks. “It will be for the best if I stay at her place and help around the agency.” 

“The two of you are friends?” Higuchi asked, picking up the toast. 

Natsu shrugged, standing up just in time to flip the omurice. Her hands do the magic while Higuchi is yawning. It was how it usually was, her being the one getting the bread while Natsu did everything. Even when she was a child—before meeting the Port Mafia—she always took care of the food of the begging and manipulating people into giving them food. It was the best way to survive. The only way. 

“Really, that job the two of us took was so much fun! Better than staying home and waiting for you and your lazy ass to come.” Higuchi smiled when Natsu placed the two plates on the table. “How about bringing me some souvenirs?” 

“Depends what Akutagawa-san allows me take with him,” Higuchi raised her cup of coffee, not hiding the fact that she is nervous. 

After the events of the hospital four days ago neither Akutagawa or Higuchi acted like usual. Their already strained relationship became more strained when after some time, neither talking or looking at each other. Even if Akutagawa is her senpai, referring to him as such is very much the definition of hypocrisy. Both have almost the exact same resolve. 

Trying to search for a man that will give them praise, wanting to get their love. 

“Should you really trust him? He is and always will be..” Natsu trailed off when Higuchi patted her head. 

“Is my cute little sister worried about me?” 

Natsu turned slightly red, not at all into the way her elder sister is hugging her. Even though she is only nine centimeters smaller than her sister she always felt small. 

“What was your mission about again?” Natsu asked, placing her knife next to her place, fumbling with her breakfast. 

Higuchi adjusted her hair, feeling like she should explain to her sister how important this mission is. After all, this is her official debut. Her debut as Higuchi Natsuko. 

“....an infiltration mission in France.” 

\/|¥•¥|\/

The Black Lizards stand dutifully behind Akutagawa, their last member still needing to appear. It is her very first—official—mission and she is being told by Kouyou how to do her job; no killing only infiltration. 

Remembering back in the day when Ichiyou was still with them she always did something’s recklessly, she did always manage to mess somethings up but back then they didn’t know that all those corpses she accidentally left behind were nothing but extra packs left behind, nothing to mask her distaste of life seem anymore different. 

Now, however, that all changed. Higuchi Natsuko—the Port Mafia’s pet—is more ruthless compared to her persona. No shame for the red strings of life she cut off or the blood dripping down her face. If anything she is more of a stray dog being held back by the amounts of chains, each chain holding her back. 

Gin could easily say that her brother’s schedule had been in complete disarray ever since her arrival. She kept convincing him to sleep and yet her brother barely registered his insomnia until Chuuya pointed it out. The worst part is that no one understood how easily sad he looks like when Higuchi passes by, not greeting him or going straight towards him like a crazy fan girl. 

Many other mafioso also noticed the change and realization how much Higuchi relied on him until a few days ago, where she filled in the papers. The only time the two ever spoke to each other after the incident, Hirotsu and Tachihara were by coincidence there. The exchange between the two was no different; Higuchi asking what tea he would like and Akutagawa declining it. 

All was the same until…

Higuchi puts both her hands on her back, nodding her head in understanding. “As you wish, Akutagawa-sama.” 

No senpai in her sentence, not even a slip of the tongue. Hirotsu and Tachihara notes the sudden change in tone, how easily Akutagawa gave in and asked for the same tea she gives him. No senpai heard, only the honorifics for someone who is worth more than anyone here. 

“Akutagawa-sama,” Higuchi said, stepping towards him. Her new uniform catching Tachihara a bit off guard. Are her shorts shorter now? 

Akutagawa only nodded. “Your here.” 

“I’m sorry for the delay. Ozaki-sama still had a few words to say before I came here.” 

“It’s alright. She must have told you about the no-killing rule.” 

“Yes. No killing until further orders.” 

Gin cleared her throat but neither budged. Higuchi for further order and Akutagawa because...well...he is getting flustered. 

“Go into line, Higuchi. We are going to France now,” Akutagawa ordered, she walked past him after giving a bow. 

If Gin felt it then the others felt it too. 

The two act like a couple who just broke up. 

The flight there was also awkward. Because Higuchi had been turned into a pet only two days before the trip the whole way of their seating is exactly like back then; Higuchi next to Akutagawa and very close, like glue. It didn’t help that Higuchi didn’t talk at all making the flight very much awkward for even Gin who usually mentally begged Higuchi to shut up, only to figure out that is the exact reason why missions like these felt so normal; Higuchi acted so much more human to the point that everyone almost forgot about the mission. 

Now however, the usual talkative woman is nothing more but someone sitting there looking over every detail of the target. Not even Tachihara felt like he could do much as Higuchi places the papers on her lap, exposed for the world to see. 

Why? Why did the boss give her such a sexy outfit?! Is what he thought. 

“Akutagawa-sama,” the woman finally spoke turning to her superior, raising a certain folder up. “About this man...do I need to persuade him too or not?” 

“No,” Akutagawa said after coughing a few times. “That man will be the Black Lizard’s target. Considering this mission is not killing but infiltration you have to take only lesser targets.” 

Higuchi blinked before nodding, turning back to the papers and rereads them again. “Understood, Akutagawa-sama.” 

After another hour of silence, Hirotsu was the one who quickly broke the ice. 

“Higuchi-kun.” The woman turned to him, her hands still with the papers. “Your ability allows you to paralyze others, right? Use that for this mission.” 

“I’m afraid that it won’t be that simple, Hirotsu-sama.” 

“Oh? How so?” 

“My Ability, Growing Pains, has been used as a torture device. To use it to such a minimum thing is hard to handle.” 

Tachihara raised his eyebrow. “Oh? Did you use it for other things then?” 

Higuchi ponders or she should answer before doing so. “To eliminate my victims.” 

The air grew cold for some reason. Akutagawa glanced to his former assistant as she raised her hand, electricity slowly cracking in her palm. “Even if I do use a minimum of what I usual do, nothing can change the fact that my ability isn’t the same anymore. It has been enhanced, mixed with a second and in the end I am merely a Singularity.” 

“Have you tried gloves?” Hirotsu asked, crossing his arms. 

Higuchi shakes her head. “Andersen told me that he doesn’t have the money to buy new gloves after I fried seven of them.” 

Akutagawa stayed silent, his coughs being the only thing that sounds remotely like him. “That’s annoying.” 

“Say, Higuchi, about Andersen,” Tachihara begins, making her turn to him. “How is he anyway, personality wise.” 

The electricity died down, her lips forming a tiny smile. He has to admit that she looks very beautiful with that smile. “He is an idiot.” 

Huh? Many mafioso asked mentally, all now listening to the woman. 

“He is the biggest idiot of them all,” Higuchi scratched her cheek lightly. “When I first heard of him I never thought I could meet such an idiotic person ever.” 

Tachihara raised his eyebrow. “How much of an idiot?” 

“He said that he can save me. Save me from the yakuza’s chains and bring me the hope only an author can bring to their stories, it made me laugh so much that my throat hurts at the end of the day.” 

Hirotsu, who got word of Andersen, only raised his eyebrow. “I heard that you were very close with him.” 

“You could say I was his personal assistant—or his musé.” 

The smile became more sadder the minute she said that. Her eyes glanced to her lap where the papers were resting, her hands gripping onto them tightly. “But that is history now. We parted ways anyway.” 

“Does this have to do something with Ellen?” Gin asked, feeling like she should know more. 

“Yeah. After I killed her, he became so angry that he broke our promise.” 

Silence came in. Hirotsu’s eyes widened so big that Tachihara almost thought that they would pop. 

The flight began to become awkward, the dots connected. The way how she in the beginning was afraid to meet Chuuya even when he was nice, how she refused to use her ability and even now how she wants to be Akutagawa’s caretaker. 

She is bathing herself in guilt. 

\/|¥•¥|\/

During the Iron Age, what is now metropolitan France was inhabited by the Gauls, a collection of Celtic tribes. The area was annexed by Rome in 51 BC, developing a distinct Gallo-Roman culture that laid the foundation of the French language. The Germanic Franks arrived in 476 and formed the Kingdom of Francia, which became the heartland of the Carolingian Empire. The Treaty of Verdun of 843 partitioned the empire, with West Francia becoming the Kingdom of France in 987.

For much of the High Middle Ages, France was a highly decentralized feudal kingdom in which the authority of the king was barely felt. King Philip Augustus achieved remarkable success in the strengthening of royal power and the expansion of his realm, doubling its size and defeating his rivals. By the end of his reign, France had emerged as the most powerful state in Europe. In the mid-14th century, French monarchs were embroiled in a series of dynastic conflicts with their English counterparts, which lasted over 100 years. Emerging victorious from said conflicts, disputes with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire soon followed during the Renaissance but were ultimately less successful. However, French culture flourished and a global colonial empire was established, which by the 20th century would become the second largest in the world. The second half of the 16th century was dominated by religious civil wars between Catholics and Protestants (Huguenots), which severely weakened the country. But France once again emerged as Europe's dominant cultural, political, and military power in the 17th century under Louis XIV following the Thirty Years' War. An inadequate financial model and inequitable taxation system as well as endless and costly wars to maintain its predominant position, the Seven Years' War and American War of Independence among them, left the heavily indebted kingdom in a precarious situation by the end of the 18th century. The French Revolution in 1789 saw the fall of the absolute monarchy that characterized the Ancien Régime and from its ashes, rose one of modern history's earliest republics, which drafted the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen. The declaration expresses the nation's ideals to this day.

Following the revolution, France reached its political and military zenith in the early 19th century under Napoleon Bonaparte, subjugating much of continental Europe and establishing the First French Empire. The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars shaped the course of European and world history. After the collapse of the empire and a relative decline, France endured a tumultuous succession of governments culminating in the establishment of the French Third Republic in 1870 in the midst of the Franco-Prussian War. France was one of the prominent participants of World War I, from which it emerged victorious, and was one of the Allied powers in World War II, but came under occupation by the Axis in 1940. Following liberation in 1944, a Fourth Republic was established and later dissolved in the course of the Algerian War. The Fifth Republic, led by Charles de Gaulle, was formed in 1958 and remains to this day. Algeria and nearly all other French colonies became independent in the 1960s, with most retaining close economic and military connections with France.

France retains its centuries-long status as a global centre of art, science, and philosophy. It hosts the world's fifth-largest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is the leading tourist destination, receiving over 89 million foreign visitors in 2018. France is a developed country with the world's seventh-largest economy by nominal GDP, and the tenth-largest by PPP. In terms of aggregate household wealth, it ranks fourth in the world. France performs well in international rankings of education, health care, life expectancy, and human development. It remains a great power in global affairs, being one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and an official nuclear-weapon state. France is a founding and leading member of the European Union and the Eurozone, and a member of the Group of 7, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), and La Francophonie.

The vast majority of France's territory and population is situated in Western Europe and is called Metropolitan France, to distinguish it from the country's various overseas polities. It is bordered by the North Sea in the north, the English Channel in the northwest, the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the Mediterranean sea in the southeast. Its land borders consist of Belgium and Luxembourg in the northeast, Germany and Switzerland in the east, Italy and Monaco in the southeast, and Andorra and Spain in the south and southwest. With the exception of the northeast, most of France's land borders are roughly delineated by natural boundaries and geographic features: to the south and southeast, the Pyrenees and the Alps and the Jura, respectively, and to the east, the Rhine river. Due to its shape, France is often referred to as l'Hexagone ("The Hexagon"). Metropolitan France includes various coastal islands, of which the largest is Corsica. Metropolitan France is situated mostly between latitudes 41° and 51° N, and longitudes 6° W and 10° E, on the western edge of Europe, and thus lies within the northern temperate zone. Its continental part covers about 1000 km from north to south and from east to west.

France has several overseas regions across the world, which are organized as follows:

In South America: French Guiana.  
In the Atlantic Ocean: Saint Pierre and Miquelon and, in the Antilles: Guadeloupe, Martinique, Saint Martin and Saint Barthélemy.  
In the Pacific Ocean: French Polynesia, the special collectivity of New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna and Clipperton Island.  
In the Indian Ocean: Réunion island, Mayotte, Kerguelen Islands, Crozet Islands, St. Paul and Amsterdam islands, and the Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean  
In the Antarctic: Adélie Land.  
France has land borders with Brazil and Suriname via French Guiana and with the Kingdom of the Netherlands through the French portion of Saint Martin.

Metropolitan France covers 551,500 square kilometres (212,935 sq mi), the largest among European Union members. France's total land area, with its overseas departments and territories (excluding Adélie Land), is 643,801 km2 (248,573 sq mi), 0.45% of the total land area on Earth. France possesses a wide variety of landscapes, from coastal plains in the north and west to mountain ranges of the Alps in the southeast, the Massif Central in the south central and Pyrenees in the southwest.

Due to its numerous overseas departments and territories scattered across the planet, France possesses the second-largest Exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the world, covering 11,035,000 km2 (4,260,000 mi2), just behind the EEZ of the United States, which covers 11,351,000 km2 (4,383,000 mi2), but ahead of the EEZ of Australia, which covers 8,148,250 km2 (4,111,312 mi2). Its EEZ covers approximately 8% of the total surface of all the EEZs of the world.

“Oi, Ne-san,” Tachihara turned to Higuchi as she handed his baggage. “You speak Danish fluently, right?” 

“I do.” 

“Do you also speak French?” 

“I can but I haven’t spoken any in three years so I can’t confirm that it will help in this mission, Tachihara-sama.” 

The gunmen cringed as the woman continued to hand out luggage. He was still not used to being called in a higher status considering she was his superior. Not only that but even if she wasn’t his superior he was already used to her as “the only sane person if Akutagawa isn’t in near proximity”. Tachihara paused his rant as she closed the doors and turned to him, her golden hair tickling past him. 

He really missed her. He really missed Ichiyo and it hadn’t even been a day. But for now this had to do. 

“We already have confirmation about the target,” Akutagawa coughed in his hand, eyes drawn to Higuchi and how she glanced at her phone. Right, Natsu is with Kyōuka and it is a well known fact that the two seemingly don’t get along. 

“Higuchi, lets go.” 

“....understood.” 

With the Armed Detective Agency, Natsu is now sitting with Kyōuka at a computer. Because the fifteen year old has a somewhat normal childhood thanks to her sister providing her with shelter with relatives who were against the yakuza, she knew every single bug in a game. Because the two girls were in such a rough start and continue to have such a thing, they still manage to act civilized. Kenji would join them from time to time if things got too heated, resulting in him being the only person to stop the two. 

One of those times is right now as Natsu is installing Roblox onto the computer, the two teenagers debating what their skin will be. Because Kyōuka is still unused to the controls, she is the one stragedzing while Natsu controls. Kunikida overlooked this because of the way Kyōuka looked when Natsu suggested the idea, Ranpo even smiling knowing that the former assassin can still have a normal outcome and also something else. 

“Natsu, turn left,” Kyōuka instructed. The sound of the keyboards being pressed on filled the room. “Okay, now go straight and ignore the brown glue.” 

“Poop,” Natsu corrected as her avatar did as told. 

For the first time, in a while, did Kyōuka roll her eyes. Atsushi chuckled, Dazai had mentioned the plan to him and he couldn’t help but enjoy the imagination of a younger version of the duo that guard Yokohama. 

“And we got second place!” Natsu cheered, raising her hand to expect a high five. Kyōuka hesitated but did it regardless, a little existed herself. 

Just like with Atsushi and Akutagawa, Natsu and Kyōuka had a very similar background; both born in a normal family before someone killed them. In Natsu’s case it was her half-sister Higuchi Ichiyo who killed her father under orders of her mother after he left her and in Kyōuka’s case it was an ability which controlled Demon Snow. Both were forced into an organization they were too young too, even though Natsu has more experience compared to Kyōuka. 

As such the two are a good pairing for the plan. A plan with a genius name. 

“What can we call ourselves? This was a team effort,” Natsu hummed absentmindedly, not at all noticing how Atsushi and Dazai looked over their shoulders. “Demon Waters? Troubled Snow? To blend our abilities together, you know?” 

“Neither sound nice considering how we had designed our character,” Kyōuka mumbled, looking at the traditional clothed geisha type avatar with guns. “Might go with something consistent.” 

“Mega guns,” Natsu jokes, getting Kyōuka to lightly slap her. 

“Young Double Black.” Atsushi suggested, making both girls turn to him. Kyōuka’s eyes widened while Natsu raised her eyebrow. “How does that sound?” 

“I get the double black thing because of the guns but what is it with the young thing?” Natsu asked, completely oblivious to how her new friend is glancing at the two adults with a surprise look. 

“Well both of you are too young to work now, you two will learn from your experience and continue to work together in harmony,” Ranpo replied, opening his bag of chips. 

Natsu turned to Kyōuka who glanced at her nervously. “What do you think?” 

“I….I don’t mind working with you. You are annoying, hard to handle and stubborn but I guess that is what double black needs; a human,” Kyōuka replied, completely turning away with a blush. 

Natsu blinked. “I’m good as long as we have fun.” 

Atsushi smiled as Natsu submitted the name Young Double Black, thinking of notifying Akutagawa of this and his former-assistant. 

\/|¥•¥|\/

In France, Paris, Akutagawa is adjusting his black bow tie. The plan was simple; going in with Higuchi and pretending to be a couple. Normal as what he can call it. He didn’t know who submitted this plan but he hopes that they will change it for next time, because he feels like this is too much. 

Getting out of the bathroom is Higuchi who adjusted her black dress, her golden hair pulled up in a bun with a braid. Gin adjusting her collar, her cheeks a dark pink after helping Higuchi dress up. It must have been fun thinking back how strongly Gin reacted to Higuchi with her hair down, touching it must have brought her joy. 

“Nii-san, you and Nee-san look like an actual couple,” Gin teased, feeling like calling Higuchi by the requested name that maybe the woman might like her. 

To Gin’s disappointment, Higuchi barely reacted, her attention paid closely to her mask. Akutagawa has to admit that she did look beautiful but next to that nothing felt different. 

“Are you okay with this?” Akutagawa asked, watching how Higuchi put the papers down. The two got the phone call just an hour ago about how Natsu and Kyōuka could potentially become a younger version of Double Black. 

“I was once a serial killer before I joined the Port Mafia, the only reason was because I love my little sister after I killed her parents. Her becoming someone to protect Yokohama with someone she is familiar with is only making me happy,” Higuchi answered, turning to him. “As her senpai, I expect you to teach her everything she needs to know.” 

The ability user remembered how Higuchi hesitated in her answer to the suggestion of having those two become Young Double Black, not that he blames her. When he heard that Gin would also join the Black Lizards he was very much against it. 

“On one notion,” Akutagawa felt Gin watching the two from afar. “If by chance I need to know something, anything regarding Natsu and her ability, then tell me.” 

“I will, Akutagawa-sama.” 

“Also.” Higuchi blinked when Akutagawa takes a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” 

He never thought that those hollow red eyes could shine so brightly. “I mistreated you in a way that could have been avoided. Your trail of guilt was so obvious and yet my determination to get a better life blinded me. I could have prevented the outcome.” 

Silence followed as Higuchi collected her words. A smile tugged her lips, some tears going down her face. Almost so similar to the way she smiled back then. 

“It’s my job, senpai.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you guys think of the idea of Young Double Black?


	18. A Friendly Day Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu and Kyōuka are going out to have fun.

The second day went surprisingly, unexpectedly Natsu got a phone call from her sister that she came to France with no problems. This led Higuchi to explain to her sister to not call her because who knows what will happen, making Natsu happy that she no longer needs to worry. Not only that, but she is also glad she can stay at a friend’s house for once. 

Or her friend going to her house, in this case. 

“Make yourself at home,” Natsu guides Kyōuka in, a little bit excited to have her very first friend go to her place. 

“I’m coming in,” Kyōuka whispered, a bit excited to go to her new friend’s house. 

The room is nice and big, big enough to throw a party not that Natsu is the type to throw one. She dislikes parties ever since that one party in Shinjuku. 

For this occasion Atsushi had convinced Kyōuka to wear anything but the usual red kimono. For that reason she chose to wear a red sweater with blue skirt and black stockings, thinking this is the typical teenage wear. To her shock however Natsu is wearing a white kimono, completely out of the blue. 

“Nice clothes,” Natsu comments, setting up the game. 

“Can say the same,” Kyōuka replies, taking the controls in her hands. 

Natsu waited for the game to load, in the meantime pulling her hair in a high ponytail. Kyōuka was told how beautiful Higuchi’s hair was and Kenji did mention how beautiful Fumiko’s hair was, it’s not crazy to see the beautiful golden locks that tangle together and wanting to touch them. 

Must be a family thing. 

“My clothes were all dirty because of last night. On my way back home the bomber spilled all of their containment on me, apparently they were supposed to be drugs but it was just colored water. Now I have everything sorted in the washing machine leaving only my traditional Japanese clothes as last resort,” Natsu scratched her cheeks, a little blush coming on her face. “Sorry for my ramble, I just go too excited.” 

“It’s looks pretty, don’t worry.” Kyōuka blurted, feeling a blush on her face as she did so. She wasn’t lying, the white gladiolus print on it she looks very beautiful, the sashes going around her like she is a bride waiting to be married. 

“Really? Thank you very much, Kyōuka.” Natsu smiled, her eyes closed to enjoy the moment. 

After doing a few rounds, the two sat down on the couch. Or more Kyōuka after Natsu announced they will go out to the city and explore, saying that she never went into the city in case the Port Mafia found her. 

“Hey, Kyōuka-chan,” Natsu removed her white yukata for a light pink one. A better suitable one to go outside considering that the white one looks like houseware. “About the whole Young Double Black thing…” 

“Does it bother you? I’m sure that your sister had mentioned it considering her authority over the boss. Even though she is a pet her ability to paralyze others is far more powerful compared to that of the executives.” 

“My sister isn’t as useful as all of you say she is.” Natsu picks up a few hair clips and put them in her hair, looking in the mirror as she spoke, “Compared to Nakahara Chuuya she would beat him before he could use his ability, however my sister refuses too. She has this deep fear for her ability after she killed Ellen, while the autopsy showed that she died of natural causes, my sister barely understands how lucky she is.” 

“I investigated that she once got almost promoted as executive,” Kyōuka remembered when she and Atsushi had spoken to Ace—one of the other executives who had known about Higuchi’s potential. “Why did she refuse?” 

“She was afraid to meet Nakahara Chuuya of course.” 

The way Natsu spoke was like a ghost speaking ill of their past life. “She killed his parents when she was five as per ordered by Isamu-sama. She sees him again when she was thirteen years old as a fifteen year old who suffered under the rumors of Arahabaki.” 

“Arahabaki?” Kyōuka felt like she heard of him. 

“While it was not recorded, the yakuza has an unofficial ability user who has the ability to write sense to nonsense if he is inspired or determined. Whatever reality he makes comes from his good soul and nothing more,” Natsu watched how Kyōuka’s began to shine like Christmas lights. “However, he stopped coming over when he saw the state my sister was in.” 

“What happened to him?” 

“When my sister turned thirteen he was attacked by the Third Generation, an organization who have a deep hatred for my sister. They kidnapped him and held him captive for two months. In that time she went on a rampage killing anyone and got the nickname the Golden Oni. As a result, she was scouted by the Port Mafia and given a position as executive at the tender age of thirteen.” Natsu’s eyes held no life, no remorse for the dead or consideration for prayers. “The old boss wanted nothing more but her to be in her grasps. Which is why Mori held semi-control over her.” 

“And that ability, user?” 

“He was free. He is terrible with physical health and wanted no doctor to look at him. But..” Natsu narrowed her eyes in the mirror, eying her scar. “...it was already too late. Nakahara Chuuya once pierced my throat with his ability and I was rushed to the hospital, he used his ability to change it into a Port Mafia member having shot me. Either way you look at it I was a victim at age seven.” 

In that time, Kyōuka was lavishing herself with parental love. “....I’m sorry.” 

“I don’t need pity,” Natsu loudly declared, eyes holding no such thing as pity for the other. Compared to yesterday whose eyes were trying to at least look scary, these eyes looked real. Eyes of a beast ready to slaughter those who dare to come near. Her voice was soft like death whispered the curses of death. “If I get pitied then what do I accomplish?” 

A thing in Double Black is that at least speaks easy of death; with the original it is Dazai with new Double Black it is Akutagawa and in this one…

...Kyōuka—a once dangerous assassin—wants anything but violence. But her new partner spoke so easy of it. She remembered such vivid things like they happened yesterday, specific things that could easily be used by the mafia. Had she joined the mafia instead of Kyōuka then no doubt bodies would have fallen more easily. 

“Shall we go?” Natsu asked, already at the door with her tiny bag in hand. She looked like a Princess compared to the grim reaper mere seconds ago. 

“Yeah.” 

**********

“——and that is the true reason why Oni refused to show her true self.” 

Sitting at a bench near the ice cream cart, a young woman sat there with her arms crossed together with her legs. Crimson hair pulled back in a ponytail with a few bangs ticking her shoulders, framing her beautiful face. Next to her is Tanizaki Junichiro—the one who called her here.

The girl is the current heir of the yakuza—Fumiko Enchi, Ability: Masks In The Waiting Years, had accepted the invitation to the free food for the investigation. She had told him about how she got into contact with the Port Mafia, not only that but told him about Natsu. 

“About Natsu….” 

“After she was shot by Nakahara Chuuya—my step-cousin Ariyoshi Sawako had used the same experiment that was used by the GSS to create Arahabaki and created the catfish that was subdued by Takemikazuchi. Namazu or Ōnamazu is a giant catfish who causes earthquakes. He lives in the mud under the islands of Japan and is guarded by the god Kashima, who restrains the catfish with a stone. When Kashima lets his guard fall, Namazu thrashes about, causing violent earthquakes.” 

“Do Natsu-chan was basically a dead girl who got reincarnated with the powers of an ancient catfish.” 

“Yeah.” Fumiko picked her ice. “She is basically revived just for the sake of holding that bitch back in case things get difficult.” 

Tanizaki stayed silent as Fumiko continued her licks. Eventually when there was no cone left did she continue. “The yakuza right now is in stable condition. My plan had worked out.” 

“Could you explain again how cutting her legs off would have helped?” 

“I know that bitch more than anybody else. She is forcing herself on many things. First she forces herself on the yakuza, then on the death of Ellen and now the mafia. People would like her better did she not force herself!” Fumiko irritatedly grabbed onto Tanizaki's sleeve, almost ripping it had Tanizaki not held onto it. “Honestly! Why is that stupid Oni bitch so annoying!” 

“If you can stop ripping apart my shirt please that would be much appreciated!” Tanizaki shouted, making Fumiko let go. 

“Oh, sorry, force off the habit to kill anyone.” 

At least she is different compared to Yosano-sensei and Naomi. 

“How is the yakuza now?” Tanizaki asked. “We are now investigating or there is more abuse going on.” 

Fumiko pondered, glancing at her bandaged hand. “The old man is now getting angry. He had asked the GSS to together with him to take down the Port Mafia. Apparently they had declined an audience with him.” 

“The president would have done the same honestly.” 

Fumiko hummed absentmindedly, her crimson locks being pulled back. “The yakuza changed. Back then it was more friendly and less one-sided. People whose potential were being looked down upon by society could get to show those potential through the yakuza. If you leave you leave with pride that you were once there. Now, if you even talk about leaving you are given the death sentence.” 

“Sounds bad.” 

“No shit, Sherlock. We are basically dealing with that Oni and her melodramatic shit!” 

Tanizaki chuckled a bit as Fumiko pouted. The two just happened to meet up with each other; he was assigned to buy sweets for Ranpo this time because Atsushi and Dazai were busy with the whole Young Double Black thing with Chuuya. Kenji was also busy with Yosano with a case so only he was available, Naomi being with Haruno. 

He was just in the middle of buying the usual sweets until Fumiko came in levitating two boxes of cake. The two stared at each for what felt like hours. The clerk had come and thanked Fumiko as she worked there part-time, even wearing the uniform. Tanizaki was sweating real bad as Fumiko helped him pick up a cake for Ranpo. 

And now—they are eating ice cream while walking back to the agency. 

“By the way, Fumiko-san, about back then,” Tanizaki trailed off, feeling uneasy. 

“It’s okay. I was forced into the yakuza. It isn’t like I like to be there. Every member of the yakuza, excluding Kawabata and Nakarai, see me as someone who doesn’t deserve to be in the Yakuza. That occupation doesn’t suit. If they tell me to my face that I’m not worthy to be there then so be it, I never wanted to be there to begin with.” 

The illusionist stopped walking, the redhead stopping as well to wait for his response. It isn’t really a secret that she dislikes it, while her crimes are well known that doesn’t stop how much worth she has. 

She is worth more than just being a serial killer—

—almost the same as Natsu who is worth more than just a weapon. 

Fumiko sighed, walking towards him and grabbing his hand. He didn’t notice anything until her cold hand touched his warm ones. “Whatever your thinking, don't. It isn’t worth anyone’s time to deal with two monsters.” 

“But—!”

She gives him a tiny smile. “My blood is yakuza red, just like with Natsu and Natsuko. There is no denying our rage when we break.” 

Tanizaki frowned, clearly not liking the answer. The two continue walking however in silence, both unaware that their hands are still locked with each other. 

Unknown to them, two girls had just turned a corner to see the two. 

“Tanizaki-san?” Kyōuka was under Natsu who only had a blank look. 

“That guy has horrible taste in women.” 

The two girls pass by the ‘couple’ both intended to go to the game arcade that Natsu once went to but it is for the best not to. After all—the sight of Fumiko made her shiver. 

The two teenagers eventually came to a stop by a takoyaki stand, both took two and ate it with smiles on their faces. Then they decided to go to the mall where more food was on display, eating themselves full again and still somehow getting more room for crepes. 

Eventually the two girls went to the arcade where Kyōuka scores a dog plushie for Natsu who accepted it with a smile. Neither of them noticed three adult men looking at them which were Dazai, Atsushi and Chuuya. 

Kyōuka grabbed Natsu one more time to go to the yakisoba food stall, both enjoying the smell and taste. 

“This is so good~!” Natsu smiled, throwing the leftovers into the trash can. “I’m glad that the Port Mafia has some money for me.” 

“Hmm. Well they aren’t always this generous,” Kyōuka hummed, putting her hands in her pockets. “I’m fact the last time they were nice was when they threw that New Years party.” 

“I don’t celebrate New Year,” Natsu blurted out, smiling amused as Kyōuka turned to her surprised. “The yakuza always had this tradition where the Nezamu was not allowed to come near them, so I never really participated in it.” 

“Really?” Seeing Natsu nod sheepishly made Kyōuka grab her hand and drag her towards where Atsushi is, completely ignoring the shocked look the weretiger or Natsu gave each other. “We are celebrating New Year early.” 

“Huh? Why?” 

“Just because!” 

Natsu awkwardly waved at them before following her partner to the Port Mafia buildings, their three hours long walk already getting at a stop. 

The two never let go of each other, their hands still holding each other. 

When Natsu finally arrived at her house did she turn to Kyōuka with expectancy. 

“Same time tomorrow?” 

Kyōuka smiled, nodding as the girl waved goodbye. She waited until Natsu came back with her phone, “Let’s exchange phone numbers so we can talk from distances.” 

Kyōuka smiled as Natsu typed her number in, a warm feeling bubbling in her chest. 

“See you tomorrow, Kyōuka-chan!” 

“See you tomorrow, Natsu-san.” 

A friend...finally she has a friend!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Nezamu is well known to be a giant catfish who caused earthquakes in Japan. When Takemikazuchi subdued him in the ocean did it die.


	19. The Mafia’s Miyamoto Musashi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Use your ability, For The Tainted Sorrow, and kill the Golden Oni who killed a thousand lives in a span of fifteen years old; me.”

  
  


Their mission in France was disappointing and that was not because of Higuchi but of the enemy. Just as they had entered the room to take their target he himself had already been black out drunk and been peeking under Higuchi’s dress, Hirotsu already taking him and his drunk crew. Because of this neither Higuchi’s test or the mission became successful. 

So they changed directions, after coming back from Japan, Akutagawa decided to just take a job which involved foreigners smuggling weapons from the Port Mafia into their cargo. No Black Lizards involved only the two. Gin must have mentioned it but with Higuchi’s newest outfit the two match more than usual, almost looking like a couple with how well it matched. 

Higuchi has said nothing but the blush on her stoic face was enough to say that she was getting flustered, it didn’t help that Kouyou commented how cute she looked in a bikini either way. 

The two are now in the car, Higuchi driving while Akutagawa is next to her. The woman didn’t have time to meet her little sister who coincidentally was at Kyōuka’s place, apparently the two have gone on several outings, enjoying the atmosphere with each other. The sound of the phone ringing is heard, the light turned red just in time for Higuchi to open her phone and press on the button, putting the device by her ear. 

“Hello, this is Higuchi. Ah, Kunikida-san from the Armed Detective Agency, how can I help you?” Higuchi asked, monotone. Akutagawa glanced her way as she put the phone on her shoulder to drive better. 

“ _ You’re little sister is here. I heard you came back, do you want to pick her up or do you want her to stay? _ ” 

“I’m now on my way for the next mission, I know it’s too much to ask but could you babysit her. I can’t ask Sawako or Kawabata to do it for me.” 

“ _ I heard they usually took care of her. _ ” 

“Sawako is a woman of her ideals; her ideal is to become a housewife who can protect her children without discord or despair, Kawabata is someone I trust with taking care of her since he has a grudge against my father.” 

“ _ I see. In that case, I will notify you if she is going home _ .” 

“The mission will end shortly,” Higuchi replied, a glint in her eyes. “My cute little sister will have a nice time before dinner.” 

“ _ She just told us how you half burned breakfast for her tenth birthday. _ ” 

“That’s true. I burned the food out of love.” 

“ _ Don’t say that with a smug look! _ ” 

“I’m not.” Akutagawa gives her a deadpanned look. She was a statue like just a few hours ago now with her little sister mentioned she is rather dry. Well, he is also different about Gin if they were out. 

The phone hung up and Higuchi put the phone away, hands still on the steering wheel. The two sat in silence once again. The only thing making the two not feel awkward is the sudden loud roar of a motorbike speeding past them, a pink one where the executive is riding on. 

“Natsu is a feisty one,” Akutagawa said. “Her ability to manipulate water is perfect for the mafia.” 

“I don’t want her to be put through Hell like I was.”

“Why did you hide your ability?” Akutagawa decided to ask after giving three coughs. “Your ability to paralyze others is perfectly suited for the mafia.” 

“I don’t want to accidentally kill anyone. My ability is potentially worthy but if it comes to myself I rather not want to,” Higuchi turned an intersection. “That’s why I also don’t want Natsu involved. She was originally named Kuni but because I was locked up most of the time she was named Natsu to become my replacement.”

“In other words you don’t want her to join the mafia because you are afraid you will make her the target for the yakuza who will no doubt use her,” Akutagawa summarized. “That’s very noble of you.” 

“This is the first I got a compliment from you,” Higuchi turned to him with a smile. “Not that I mind.” 

Akutagawa hides his face with his hand, coughing a bit. “Your persona version was rather too clingy.” 

“To be honest, I felt like I was obliged to help you, but you are stubborn,” Higuchi glanced at him, red eyes somehow looking cat-like. “Very, very stubborn.” 

Akutagawa smirked, finding this side rather amusing. “Says the woman who yelled from the wall ‘senpai this’ and ‘senpai that!’,you know.” 

Higuchi waits once again for the lights to turn green. “Hmm. Well I didn’t mind joining in the men’s bathroom. I’m used to seeing a penis or having s—x with older men over Hirotsu-san’s age.” 

Akutagawa coughed into his mouth again, hiding his blush. Higuchi didn’t notice as she parked the car into an alleyway, Chuuya already waiting for them. 

“Glad that you two came,” Chuuya said after the two subordinates stepped out of the car. “Higuchi, because of the last mission being unsuccessful Akutagawa and I will be overlooking this mission. It’s very simple really; destroy the enemy and leave no prisoners.” 

In other words blood will be splattered. Higuchi adjusted her katana, a weapon blessed by her teacher. “I understand.” 

Chuuya takes out a piece of paper and hands it to the woman. “These are the bastards we need to kill for today. They are a lot but the boss told me to give you the largest amount. I hope you are ready, Higuchi.” 

Akutagawa watched how her red eyes held no color anymore. Eyes of a god who will slaughter any sinner. 

The blonde stepped into the building, Akutagawa standing right behind her with Chuuya. The two had done some research of their own off their subordinate. Calling her a killing machine is accurate, she killed anyone who strayed near her. Almost the definition of a demon in disguise of a god. Despite being fused with Takemikazuchi, Chuuya knows that the god was not placed in her. There is no way that a god decided to pity her and step in her body. 

But of course Chuuya also knows that that didn’t forgive the fact that this woman—somebody who doesn’t mind bathing in the men’s bathroom or would jump into an enemy swarmed warehouse—would kill them any second if they could. 

She is the definition of a monster. 

“*Otsugomori and Umoregi—,” Higuchi whispered, removing the sheath of her sword. “** **I have a beloved wife.Familiar as the skirt.Of a well-worn robe. And so this distant journeying.Fills my heart—.** ” 

Higuchi stepped forward, her katana shining by the dim light. “Today is victory over yourself yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men.” 

Chuuya blinked and before he knew it, heads were flying. Akutagawa also had his eyes wide with how easily the bodies were cut down. No pauses nor any mistakes just the continuation of endless bloodlust. 

Akutagawa couldn’t help but watch in awe how much faster Higuchi looks. Remembering the first time she killed someone—it must have been his imagination back then but today he could confirm: 

—Higuchi kills without any mercy or punishment. She just does it. 

Mori’s words finally made sense in his head. Finally he understood why on the day when Higuchi came he said— _ “She is someone who shouldn’t be doing something without supervision.” _

“I’m done,” Higuchi said, walking over the dead bodies. Chuuya looked at his stopwatch and showed it to Akutagawa; 2 seconds. 

The Rashomon user turned to her. “Faster than you usually do it.” 

“I was never into guns but it needs to happen one day.” Higuchi accepted the handkerchief from Chuuya and cleaned her sword. “But the Master told me that guns are the best weapon to use.” 

Chuuya grabbed the now bloodied handkerchief and cleaned her face. “I can see why. Don’t you have any self-control?” 

“No.” 

“Is that the reason why you want to die?” 

“No.” 

The executive raised his eyebrow. “Then why do you want to get killed by Akutagawa?” 

Higuchi shakes her head. “I don’t want Akutagawa to kill me. I was just scared to ask the one.” 

Chuuya sighed, putting the bloody object in his pocket. “Really? Who do you want to get killed by?” 

“You.” 

The two men stayed silent. Blue eyes looked at red ones who held no color. Swords style and facial expression all together makes him think of one person: 

Miyamoto Musashi. 

The details of Miyamoto Musashi's early life are difficult to verify. Musashi himself simply states in The Book of Five Rings that he was born in Harima Province.Niten Ki (an early biography of Musashi) supports the theory that Musashi was born in 1584: "was born in Banshū, in Tenshō 12 , the Year of the Monkey."The historian Kamiko Tadashi, commenting on Musashi's text, notes: "Munisai was Musashi's father ... he lived in Miyamoto village, in the Yoshino district [of Mimasaka Province]. Musashi was most probably born here."His childhood name was Bennosuke, and his father worked as a farmer. "Bennosuke" often worked the fields there before his restless nature eventually led him to the life of the sword.

Musashi gives his full name and title in The Book of Five Rings as Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu. His father, Shinmen Munisai was an accomplished martial artist and master of the sword and jutte (also jitte). Munisai, in turn, was the son of Hirata Shōgen a vassal of Shinmen Iga no Kami, the lord of Takayama Castle in the Yoshino district of Mimasaka Province.Hirata was relied upon by Lord Shinmen and so was allowed to use the Shinmen name. As for "Musashi", Musashi no Kami was a court title, making him the nominal governor of Musashi Province. "Fujiwara" was the lineage from which Musashi claimed descent.

Munisai's tomb says he died in 1580, which conflicts with the commonly accepted birth date of 1584 for Musashi. Further confounding his birthdate, the genealogy of the extant Miyamoto family recounts Musashi was born in 1582. Kenji Tokitsu has suggested that the accepted birth date of 1584 for Musashi is wrong, as it is primarily based on a literal reading of the introduction to The Book of Five Rings where Musashi states that the years of his life "add up to 60" (yielding the twelfth year of the Tensho era, or 1584, when working backwards from the well-documented date of composition), when it should be taken in a more literary and imprecise sense, indicating not a specific age but merely that Musashi was in his sixties when he wrote it. He may have also written it two years prior to when it was considered a composition.

There is considerable uncertainty surrounding Munisai, such as when he died and whether he was truly Musashi's father, and even less is known about Musashi's mother. The following are a few possibilities:

Munisai's tomb was correct. He died in 1580, leaving two daughters and son Iori; his wife adopted a recently born child, from the Akamatsu clan, intended to succeed Munisai at his jitte school. Omasa, Munisai's widow, was not Musashi's biological mother.

The tomb was wrong. Munisai lived a good deal longer, later than 1590 possibly. Musashi, then, was born to Munisai's first wife, Yoshiko (daughter to Bessho Shigeharu, who formerly controlled Hirafu village until he lost a battle in 1578 to Yamanaka Shikanosuke). Munisai divorced her after Musashi's birth, whereupon she decamped for her father's house, leaving Musashi with Munisai. Musashi grew up treating Munisai's second wife, Omasa (daughter to Lord Shinmen) as his mother. This second scenario is laid out in an entry to the Tasumi family's genealogy. 

The daughter of Bessho Shigeharu first married Hirata Munisai and was divorced from him a few years later. After that she married Tasumi Masahisa. The second wife of Tasumi Masahisa was the mother of Miyamoto Musashi. Musashi's childhood name was Hirata Den. During his childhood, he went to Hirafu to find his real mother. He moved in with the Tasumi family.

A variant of this second theory is based on the fact that the tombstone states that Omasa gave birth to Musashi on 4 March 1584, and died of it. Munisai then remarried to Yoshiko. They divorced, as in the second theory, but Yoshiko took Musashi, who was 7 at the time, with her, and married Tasumi Masahisa.

Kenji Tokitsu prefers to assume a birth date of 1581, which avoids the necessity of assuming the tombstone to be erroneous (although this poses the problem of from whom then Musashi received the transmission of the family martial art).

There is another possibility that Munisai's tomb was correct he died in near the end of 1580 but also got Omasa pregnant near the time of his death and had the baby in 1582 because she had her pregnancy which was a couple weeks late, and had Musashi within January or February meaning the Miyamoto family was correct and she hid him from everyone till 1584. Miyamoto Musashi was told he was born in 1584 to another man so he stated in The Book of Five Rings that he was born in 1584. He had received his training from his uncle.

Regardless of the truth about Musashi's ancestry, when Musashi was seven years old, the boy was raised by his uncle, Dorinbo (or Dorin), in Shoreian temple, three kilometers (~1.8 mi.) from Hirafuku. Both Dorin and Tasumi, Musashi's uncle by marriage, educated him in Buddhism and basic skills such as writing and reading. This education is possibly the basis for Yoshikawa Eiji's fictional education of Musashi by the historical Zen monk Takuan (prelate of the Rinzai sect close to the samurai caste and founded on the 28th Patriarch Bodhidharma, also called Daruma). He was apparently trained by Munisai in the sword, and in the family art of the jutte. This training did not last for a very long time, as in 1589, Munisai was ordered by Shinmen Sokan to kill Munisai's student, Honiden Gekinosuke. The Honiden family was displeased, and so Munisai was forced to move four kilometers (~2.5 mi.) away to the village of Kawakami.

In 1592, Munisai died, although Tokitsu believes that the person who died at this time was really Hirata Takehito.

Musashi contracted eczema in his infancy, and this adversely affected his appearance. Another story claims that he never took a bath because he did not want to be surprised unarmed. While the former claim may or may not have some basis in reality, the latter seems improbable.An unwashed member of the warrior caste would not have been received as a guest by such houses as Honda, Ogasawara, and Hosokawa. These and many other details are likely embellishments that were added to his legend, or misinterpretations of literature describing him.

His father's fate is uncertain, but it is thought that he died at the hands of one of Musashi's later adversaries, who was punished or even killed for treating Musashi's father badly. However, there are no exact details of Musashi's life, since Musashi's only writings are those related to strategy and technique.

Yet the words Higuchi spoke right now sounded like a very exhausted swordsman who was bored of everything. 

“I was given the order to kill you and your family. Your family protected you and before I knew it you were fused with Arahabaki. It is all my fault that you are here, Nakahara Chuuya,” Higuchi’s monotone voice rendered the executive’s movements. “That’s why I’m asking for a simple request.” 

Akutagawa felt like he was looking at Kyōuka again. The girl was not there. She was silent and had only things in mind so of course he had suspected what the request would be. But Chuuya could only feel his heartbeat go up with how easily the room felt cold. 

“Use your ability, For The Tainted Sorrow, and kill the Golden Oni who killed a thousand lives in a span of fifteen years old; me.” 

Gloved hands felt cold under the intensity. Blue eyes widened as if what was just said was a joke. It’s not a joke. The memory of those red eyes haunting his dreams finally is in front of him.

Higuchi noticed his hesitance and turned to the door, hearing Akutagawa’s footsteps follow her. Eventually Chuuya also followed, the trail of blood still managing to make him remember that one flashback of those red eyes. 

Their ride was awkward, unbelievably silent and most of all Higuchi smelled like death. They stopped many times for red light and eventually they ended at Higuchi’s place; where they see a red bike chained at the side. 

The three walked in, the silence was killing Akutagawa who didn’t know what to do. Chuuya also didn’t know what to do while Higuchi waited patiently for the elevator to stop. The doors opened and they went to the door. Just in time to see a girl flying into Higuchi’s arms. 

“Onee-chan!” Natsu shouted, flying in her arms despite the blood. Higuchi’s cold expression turned into a bright smile, she hugged her little sister. 

“Natsu! I’m so sorry I didn’t come earlier! I was busy with work!” Higuchi rubbed her bloody cheek against that of her sister, a disturbing sight for Akutagawa who never,  **never** seen her this happy. 

“I know,” Natsu giggled. Higuchi smiled and pulled her little sister closer, enjoying the sweetness. 

“Ahem,” the two sisters turn to see Atsushi and Dazai sitting there. The eighteen year old awkwardly holding onto a tablet. “Sorry to ruin the reunion but they are requesting a bunny boy.” 

Natsu gets out of her sister’s hug and walks towards the ability user. “Oh yeah, they sometimes request that but I don’t know how to draw them.” 

“Maybe you need some type of inspiration. How about we go out and look for some?” Dazai suggested, raising the cup of apple cider up to his lips. 

“That could work,” Natsu turned to Higuchi who only smiled at her. “Wanna hit the showers first?” 

“Yeah, it got a bit bloody. You can show Akutagawa and Chuuya the living room.” 

“Okay!” 

Both mafioso removed their shoes and walked inside; the three detectives are by the table all wearing glasses while Natsu is having some of her bangs held up by a clip, she wears a pink off-shoulder tank top and black shorts. Chuuya removed his coat and put his hat on the chair, Akutagawa only removed his coat and it on his shoulders. 

“Oi, shitty mackerel, what the hell are you doing interested in drawing?” Chuuya asked, sitting next to the suicidal man. 

“Ever since Natsu-chan had asked me to model for her~!” Dazai smirked as he cupped his chin with his fingers. “After that I managed to find out that our little girl here is an artist.” 

Natsu giggled. “I’m just doing what I can to support my sister. She usually comes back home injured and gives the money to me or offers it to my aunt.” 

Chuuya took the sketchbook from Dazai’s hands and it showed many drawings of very detailed drawings of the agency. “Nicely done. How much do you pay for this?” 

“Depends on the request. Erotic things are more expensive then fluffy just domestic stuff is more reasonable,” Natsu answered, sitting next to Kyōuka who only blushed. “Don’t ask how I do erotic.

“Wasn’t going too,” Chuuya reassured. 

“Still, a bunny boy?” Natsu mumbled, taking out her phone and looking it up. “I don’t know or I have that.” 

“You get this request a lot. What’s stopping you?” Dazai asked, smiling kindly at the little girl who only blushed lightly. 

“I take inspiration out of my sister and other family members. I don’t really know how I’m supposed to do it with strangers. I just find that rude for some reason,” Natsu replied, scratching the back of her head. She didn’t notice Akutagawa looking in her file where most of them were off Higuchi in either cute outfits or gore haunting visions. Probably from the yakuza’s treatment. 

“What if Atsushi dressed up as a bunny boy?” Dazai suggested making the weretiger turn to him. “He has a slim build, very nice cheeks and the perfect height for a bunny boy. Not only that but he might be a beast underneath the sheets if you know what I mean.” 

“Dazai-san!” Atsushi sputtered, face going completely red. 

“That’s true,” Kyōuka encouraged making Akutagawa eye his partner dangerously before the girl said; “He sometimes turns into a tiger and I have to drag him out of the closet.” 

“.....is that the reason I change position at some nights?” Atsushi meekly asked making Kyōuka nod. He breathed a sigh of relief. 

“I was actually going to ask Sa-chan to change my sister into a man but that could also work.” 

“Sa-chan?” Chuuya asked, not good with remembering names. 

“The doctor that treated Onee-Chan back in the hospital.” 

The same woman who claimed she would eat them all if they dared to hurt Higuchi. 

“What is her ability then?” 

“Her ability allows her to copy other abilities.” 

The room fell silent while Natsu began to sketch something in her notebook. That force field that she had used and also her floating up...were all copied. 

“Natsu-chan, when we represented Ariyoshi-san into the presentation we found some information about your families traditions,” Atsushi glanced to Dazai who just nodded. “Can you tell us more about it?” 

Natsu didn’t stop sketching, in fact her face only turned into a serious one.

“Back then my sister was always lonely and held back in a shed far away from the main house. When Sa-chan came into the house she treated her wounds and had opened her up to the idea of family, she taught her all the basic needs without violence and also gave her good food and water. Papa and mama most of the time forced me to work hard on my work to become my sister’s replacement but Sa-chan taught me how to draw and cook, how to take care of injuries and stuff. My sister never experienced things like cooking or taking care of herself so most of the time I helped her.” 

Chuuya glanced to the shower where he knew Higuchi was there. The door opened showing the woman step in wearing a very big white shirt and black shorts. Her long hair is wet and a bit tangled but she smells like anything except blood now. 

“How was your little stay over with Kyōuka, Natsu?” Higuchi asked her little sister. 

The fifteen year old smiled brightly. “The best of the world! Even though we first gave each other bad looks we had fun, right, Kyōuka?” 

The fourteen year old blushed lightly. “This is the first time that I got a friend who cooks tofu.” 

Higuchi smiled, a kind and beautiful one. “That’s great. I actually have to go to Shishou soon.” 

“Huh?” Chuuya turned to the woman. “Why do you have to go there?” 

“Master promised me that I was allowed to meet up with Shishou from time to time. I would rather not want Natsu to meet him.” 

“The feeling is mutual,” Natsu shuddered. “I rather not meet him.” 

Atsushi tilted his head. “Um, if I may ask, who is your Shishou?” 

Natsu and Higuchi both turned to him. 

“Ihara Saikaku, the Monk of the Floating World.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Otsugomori and Umoregi are two of Higuchi Ichiyou’s most well known works. I only got that they were published on the same date, or that must have been the information being mistyped. 
> 
> **this chant is actually something I looked up that is related to Higuchi Ichiyou. I don’t know or this was written in one of her books but it’s still related to Otsugomori and Umoregi. 
> 
> We are almost done until Alternative!


End file.
